Boy, September sure was a doozy, eh? Yep, it definitely just happened, and I’m not late with my half of this at all.

So it’s true, a bit of time has passed since the launch month of The New 52 and today - but you guys, I have the best excuse for the lateness of this article: the comics have been selling like motherfuckers. And not just the new DC books. I’ve been plying the lessons learned from selling those books to any launching point, whether it be a new number one or story arc or creative team change. It’s been working like gangbusters, and with most of the DC line settling down to roughly double what the books were previously selling for us in the store, it makes for a busy life. But look, we don’t like leaving you hanging, and there were some amazing books that James didn’t get to in his half of this feature. So let’s get to that.

ANIMAL MAN

Right from day one, the book that surprised the most people was Animal Man. From the first page, you can tell the book will be different, as it opens with a page straight out of The Believer, a real literary magazine that would totally run an interview with Buddy Baker. You know, if he were real. But that’s just the first page.

As you explore the first issue, you find yourself smiling and many things. Buddy’s simple interactions with his family, establishing a core and a love at the center of the book. The brief adventure he goes on where things take a decidedly dark turn. And then that ending. Oh god that ending. In turns it’s the most horrific book you’ve read, and the most grounded, and the most fun and light-hearted. It’s a fine tuned, well oiled machine, and Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman are absolutely killing it on this book. We’ve upped the order several times in the store, and we still ran out of issue threes this week. There’s not a single other New 52 book on our shelves that can boast the fact that sales are still BURSTING through the ceiling.

And let me tell you, if you had told me one day, that one of our best selling books would be Animal Man? I probably would’ve laughed at you. Hard. But dammit, I’m glad that it’s around and that it’s selling as well as it is. It really is an amazing book that you should all be getting.

I, VAMPIRE

Definitely one of the harder sells of the line - though I’ll blame that on a visceral reaction many comic folk have to anything that looks remotely Twi-lite. But look, Joshua Hale Fialkov’s name was on the cover, so I knew we’d get something a bit darker than what seemed to be promised. And boy, did he deliver. The series, while taking a few cues from the current vampire phenomenon manages to toe a line that is decidedly darker and more literary than Twilight, while not alienating any of those fans, should they venture over. And the art by Andrea Sorrentino is pretty much perfectly suited. It’s like they found a Jae Lee that’s somehow darker than Jae Lee, and it all just works. Definitely a book that should be on your radar if it isn’t already.

OMAC

Behold! The funnest book of the whole DC relaunch! The Jack Kirby influence practically oozes off the page, as the new OMAC burns through some crazy science and wrecks some of the crazier things that I’ve seen in comics lately. THERE IS A ROBOT THAT PULLS UP ITS FACE TO REVEAL THAT IT HAS FACE GUNS AND THEN IT SHOOTS THINGS! And that’s just part of the first issue. It’s big, its silver age, and while it might not be for new readers specifically, I think a lot of older ones will get a big kick out of this book.

SUPERGIRL

I will admit: I was prepared for the worst when the book was announced. There was a suspicious air about it, the least of which being the book’s original writer, Brian Wood, was removed from the project before it even began. Plus, I love Brian Wood. Also, there was a bothersome bit of solicitation text that implored the reader not to piss off this new Supergirl which… kinda’ suggested this book wouldn’t be fun. But I should’ve had more faith. While Brian Wood wouldn’t be on the book, Michael Green and Mike Johnson would be, and they were behind some of my favourite Superman/Batman stories in the run. Oh, and at least one of them wrote for Everwood. So there’s that.

Anyway, this comic has been great. The first issue hit the ground running, featuring a newly arrived Supergirl who was lost, and did not know her planet had been destroyed. As the writers said in interviews, they were writing the book more for the Hunger Games crowd, which I absolutely can not fault. It’s a great tone for this book, and for this character - and as the teen group at a local library can contest, the teens love this book. (One of my regulars runs the teen program, and has been feeding them comics.) A successful comic on so many levels, despite indications to the contrary.

And so there came… an ending! But that’s not to say there were other books we didn’t enjoy. A good chunk of the line is really, really amazing. Also: there were some books that weren’t written to appeal to us. And that’s fine. But be sure to do some digging and asking to find out which comics will suit you best. We’re pretty sure there’s something for everyone in the line.