SEPTEMBER 2023 CATALOG

A sweet 'fake engagement' romance about quiet coworkers by the creator of The World God Only Knows! The J.T.C. travel agency is looking for someone to manage its brand-new branch in Irkutsk. But for employees Oohara Takuya and Honjouji Rika, they'd rather just stay home in Tokyo! Thankfully, they've discovered a way out-their manager has narrowed down the recruits to bachelors, so what if they just... got married? The problem is they barely know each other at all! Can they convince their office they're engaged just long enough for the transfer to finish up?

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Bea Arthur as the owner of the Mos Eisley Cantina. Long scenes entirely of Wookies bleating at each other, without subtitles. Harvey Korman, in drag, as a four-armed Space Julia Child. Six minutes of Jefferson Starship performing for Art Carney and a bored Imperial Guard. Mark Hamill, fresh from his near-fatal motorcycle accident, slathered in pancake makeup. Even by the standards of the 1970s, the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special is a peerlessly cringeworthy pop-culture artifact. Just how on earth did this thing ever see the light of day? To answer that question, as Steven Kozak shows in this fascinating and often hilarious inside look into the making of the Special, you have to understand the cultural moment in which it appeared-a long, long time ago when cheesy variety shows were a staple of network television and Star Wars was not yet the billion-dollar multimedia behemoth that it is today. Packed with memorable anecdotes, drawing on extensive new interviews with countless people involved in the production, and told with mingled affection and bewilderment, this never-before-told story gives a fascinating look at a strange moment in pop-culture history that remains an object of fascination even today.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 14, 2023

The marchioness Shuri Von Neuschwanstein got the chance at a do-over for the last seven years of her life-and this time, she's determined not to be a weak-willed doormat! Having gained her stepchildren's trust, Shuri turns her attention to hosting a grand memorial to her late husband, as well as taking an active role in the parliament position inherited from her late husband. Shuri has her hands full making sure everything goes according to plan, but she still can't escape the scrutiny of the nobility, who seem fixated on her every move. When she draws the attention of the crown prince, things get even more complicated, and Shuri finds herself-and her family-in a precarious situation. What's a reformed stepmother to do?

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 28, 2023

First there were summers full of smiles, followed by summers full of stress. And then there were summers full of Adachi... For Shimamura, this year's vacation is a reminder of all the pivotal summer moments from her past!

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 14, 2023

In the 1970s, Peter Laughner was a founding figure in a primordial ooze of what would come to be called punk rock, in the somewhat unlikely, somewhat necessary place of Cleveland, Ohio. Bands like Pere Ubu, the Electric Eels, Rocket From the Tombs, the Dead Boys, Devo, and the Pagans all intermingled in this psychosphere; Laughner touched them all. In 1977 at the age of 24 he became punk rocks first casualty. While his short life ended more than a half a century ago, his legacy continues to resonate. Henry Rollins and Guns N Roses have covered his songs, while Wilco and the Mountain Goats drop references to him in their lyrics. Underground comix stalwart Aaron Lange makes his much-anticipated graphic novel debut with this deeply researched biography. Through extensive interviews with the people who were there, Aint It Fun charts the cultural, environmental, and societal factors that shaped both Laughner and the Midwestern proto-punk subculture he championed. Aint it fun when you know that youre gonna die young? Grounded in real crime, with blazing and withering faces looking into their precious moments and looking back at whats left, this is a mystic story of a city wrapped around the life and death of a musician whose talent, on certain nights, on certain records, was otherworldly. A sense of disbelief churns through the intricate, exploding pages. It seems a wonder theres anyone left to tell the tale. - Greil Marcus,author, music journalist and cultural critic.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 14, 2023

A strikingly rendered and spiritually transformative tarot set, penned by a masterful contemporary illustrator. Informed by the artist's lifelong interest in psychoanalysis, dreamwork, and esoteric philosophy, this deck aims to help seekers reach a deeper understanding of their inner life. An accompanying guidebook breaks down each of the 22 Major Arcana, guiding the seeker through the meanings of the cards and their implication for one's spiritual journey.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: OCTOBER 24, 2023

A cursed princess begs Alley Oop to rescue her son-and break the wicked spell! Can Alley defeat the evil sorceress with only a stone axe and a handful of magical tricks? Additional stories include the Star Beasts of Fog Island, the Holy Grails of Castle Blackrose, and a close encounter with a two-headed pterodactyl!

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 21, 2023

A TALE OF COMING OF AGE, PERFECT FOR FANS OF MAGICAL GIRL MANGA! Alpi the Soul Sender continues her adventure with a growing rival with another of her order, as the evil of man begins to twist more spirits into something treacherousâ¦

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: JANUARY 2, 2024

To be reincarnated into another world with the promise of a 'cheat' power is one thing. But to be reborn as a baby, and then left for dead after your royal parents think you're powerless? That's another thing entirely! Now the newly-born Reinhart-Hart to his new friends-must find his way through a dangerous world⦠but luckily he's got magic that's quite literally off the charts!

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Suou and Ryou have been friends since childhood. The hairstylist and writer have lived together for six years now and, though they definitely aren't dating, their close relationship is hard to define. Will they ever move beyond the nebulous territory of 'more than friends' or will they keep living in a stalemate forever?

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 21, 2023

A sweet and Mature-rated Boys' Love romance between an introverted salaryman and the young man he meets in an MMO game! Office worker Usagi Akira lives for two things: shojo manga, and the spare moments when he can log into his favorite MMO, Tail Earth. There, his avatar is a beautiful bunny girl, and he's able to go on adventures with the charming wolf-boy Gakuto. When Gakuto asks if Akira wants to meet up IRL, Akira agrees. Sparks fly between the two guys-so Akira and Gakuto decide to date. Neither has much experience when it comes to romance, but these two are eager to figure it out together!

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 28, 2023

Writer/artist DYLAN BURNETT (Thanos by Donny Cates, Cosmic Ghost Rider) unveils a new prestige comics series sensation, perfect for fans of INVINCIBLE and MURDER FALCON. Joe, a mysterious new face in Infinity City, has suddenly become the hottest undefeated player at the Round House Arcade. But when his most formidable challenge yet rolls into town, Joes forced to combo his powers with a joystick, his fistsand his familys secret fighting legacy! Collects ARCADE KINGS #1-5

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Thanks to Licia's skillful maneuvering, Ars and his followers have succeeded in winning Paradille to their cause. This diplomatic victory puts them on even footing with Prince Vasmarque and his new ally, the duchy of Seitz. As Ars comes home in triumph, Prince Couran gives him a new mission: leading Missian's forces in an assault against Arphada. Shaken but resolved, Ars prepares to make his debut on the battlefield.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 28, 2023

IT'S TIME FOR AN EPIC FIGHT AT THE WORLD ROBOT BATTLING CHAMPIONSHIP! At the first ever World Robot Battling tournament, the entrants compete to be declared the most powerful in the world! U-Ran dominates the competition but when she gets out of control Mars, Six's eternal rival shows up to calm things down!

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: JANUARY 9, 2024

The Star. The Icon. The Witch. The Construct. The God. The Engineer. The King. In a time of Tribulations, they will answer the call as Earth's Mightiest Heroes! But when the towering Terminus attacks, a new and insidious danger rears its head. One that the Avengers know all too well, and one who comes to them in the most dangerous of guises: that of a friend! Soon, the Ashen Combine, a collection of the Multiverse's greatest monsters, descends from the Impossible City - and they destroy metropolitan areas for sport! The Avengers face the battle of their lives - and one will fall. But will the Impossible City fall with them? And what kind of doom might be unleashed upon the Earth as a consequence? Plus: Kang the Conqueror searches for the missing moment! Collecting AVENGERS (2023) #1-6 and TIMELESS (2022) #1.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: JANUARY 9, 2024

One day, high-school student Koyomi Araragi catches a girl named Hitagi Senjougahara when she trips. But-much to his surprise-she doesn't weigh anything. At all. She says an encounter with a so-called 'crab' took away all her weight... Monsters have been here since the beginning. Always. Everywhere.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Who's a good boy? Jester is. Well, he wants to be. Maybe he is? He's The Joker's dog, so of course he's funny, but his sense of humor is about to be put to the test. Because when the super-villains of Gotham get thrown into Arkham, their henchpets go to the maximum-security pound known as Barkham Asylum. Being the Clown Prince of Crime's dog doesn't win Jester any friends behind bars, especially after he gets a tough-talking stray cat named Penny tossed into lockup with him. But they'll have to work together to figure out what the evil Warden Shar Pei's helper, Dr. Hugo Mange, is up to. And the only way to stop this terrifying team-up is to win the talent show and get visitation with their masters at Arkham on the hill. Because The Joker is sure to help! What could go wrong with that plan? And where does Gotham's premier playboy Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred fit in?

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: FEBRUARY 6, 2024

Following the cataclysmic events of Fear State, Gotham City's residents are thrilled to live another day. But the city's Dark Knight, Batman...feels lost. When his former teammates in Batman Inc. are accused of murder, Batman will get the working vacation he was looking for. But when he leaves the city, he'll find a team that's betrayed him, an old enemy looking to sabotage him, and a deadly new foe known as Abyss who is causing torment across the globe. Also in this VOL: Batman teams up with everyone's favorite Gotham Academy student, Maps Mizoguchi, to solve an epic mystery. Collects BATMAN #118-121 and #124.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: JANUARY 16, 2024

For ages, two houses have overlooked Gotham City, beckoning its broken: Wayne Manor and Arkham Asylum. Explore their impact through the eyes of a boy whose life was changed forever when his parents were killed by The Joker and he fell through the cracks of the system. Instead of being sent to a facility that could care for him, he was sent to Arkham Asylum!

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: JANUARY 9, 2024

Arkham Asylum has fallen. A state-of-the-art facility, Arkham Tower, has been erected in the heart of Gotham City in its place. It's advertised as a place for healing, but what is its mysterious founder, Dr. Wear, hiding? That's just the question that leads the Bat-Family to infiltrate the facility and unravel the dark secrets locked away in Arkham Tower. Will this fact-finding mission turn into a rescue operation for Batman and his team...

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: JANUARY 9, 2024

Comic book readers are familiar with the world of Bronze and Modern Era comics⦠stories of gleaming steel metropolises populated by daring superheroes battling for truth and justice⦠facing down power-mad masterminds and would-be world conquerors. But unknown to the league of heroes who protect the innocent, this world has a cancer growing at its heart. A pantheon of elder gods is starting to awaken. These timeless forces of super-nature once claimed dominion over a primordial Earth⦠and they have returned to reclaim what is theirs. The unstoppable force of the Leviathan will collide with the immovable object of the world's most powerful superheroes in an unflinching tale of ultimate horror and ultimate sacrifice.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: JANUARY 30, 2024