It’s Monday, so you know what that means: Diamond Comics has released it’s shipping list for new books heading to stores this Wednesday, July 8th. Another light week for me (which is really good, since I’m saving every last penny for Comic-Con!) but there are a few things to take note of:

Batman #688: Judd Winnick’s last issue of Batman was one of the few in this new Batman: Reborn storyline that I liked. He’s definitely got a handle on Dick Grayson, so that was the first time I really felt like the writers remembered that it was just Batman…it’s Dick as Batman; that’s a whole different ballgame. This issue begins Mark Bagley’s 4-issue stint as guest artist for the book. This issue seems follows the events of Batman: Battle for the Cowl. Penguin and Two-Face are still on the loose and looking to cause trouble for our newest Dark Knight. As if he didn’t have enough trouble with that little brat Damian filling the rold of Robin.

Green Lantern #43: This is it: Blackest Night is here! A prologue to next week’s Blackest Night #1, this issue is fills in the history of Black Hand, a longtime GL villain who definitely will be playing a huge role in the event. I know I’ve said it in other posts, but I just can’t wait for this whole series. Johns has done something that very few writers can do nowadays: he’s making us excited. In this age of event fatigue and multiple covers for multiple miniseries about multiple tie-in events, he has somehow grabbed us by the…well, you know…and made us hopeful that finally someone is going to pull off an event right. Besides, if he can do even a half better job than the dreadful Final Crisis, that’s an A+ in my book!

Wednesday Comics #1: Okay, I have to be honest and tell you that I have absolutely no plans to buy this. Oh, I did at one point. How can you not love the concept: a weekly comic newspaper styled like the Sunday funnies we all remember and love. And with such great talent lined up: Neil Gaiman, Brian Azzarello, Dave Gibbons, and Mike Allred, just to name a few. It looked like a lot of fun. Until I found out that DC has the audacity to charge $3.99 for this. Really? I can get the Sunday paper for $1.50 and I not only get the funnies and a lot more paper…I get coupons! I just don’t see how they can even think to justify the cost of this. $2.00? Maybe. Hell, even $2.50 I might have considered it. But $4? Sorry, DC, but I think you shot your really fun concept in the foot with this one. But, for those of you not on a budget, or aren’t worried about the price, it does look like a lot of fun. Make sure you tell the rest of us how it is!

Amazing Spider-Man #600: So, I stopped reading Spider-Man after he sold his soul to the devil. Okay, I’m being harsh…a little. He didn’t sell his soul, just his soul-mate. It’s taken me a long time to even consider going back into Spidey’s world, but this issue might do it for me. This issue features a suprise wedding (though I don’t even read the book and I know who it is), the return of Doctor Octopus (one of my favorite Spidey villains…don’t ask why) and even more exciting, MJ returns to the fold. I like her character and what she added to the Spider-man mythos, and her being forced out was one of the reasons I left. This might be a good issue for me to jump on board and check-in with Spidey and the gang.

Dark X-Men Beginning #1: I have complained in the past about how sick I am already with the whole Dark Reign storyline running through the Marvel Universe. The concept is great, but they have really over done it, especially given that two weeks ago there were at least 6 or 7 new mini-series launched, never mind the fact that Norman Osborne is everywhere now. However, the Dark X-Men saga that started with Utopia X was pretty good. I’m a bit intrigued by this version of the X-men, but more important, I am looking forward to how Emma Frost’s involvement in Osborne’s schemes plays out. Is this the end for Scott and Emma? Has she kept him in the loop this whole time? In Dark X-Men Beginning, each issue will have three 11-page stories detailing how each of this new team of X-Men came to be on the team.

Not a lot else exciting this week, but the gear up toward Blackest Night is enough to sustain me for another week. In the meantime, here’s the complete shipping list for Dark Horse, DC, Image and Marvel:

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAY090044 BPRD 1947 #1 (OF 5) $2.99
FEB090060 NGE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP VOL 01 $9.95
MAR090015 PIXU TP VOL 01 MARK OF EVIL $17.95
FEB090057 SINFEST TP DARK HORSE ED VOL 01 $14.95
DC COMICS

MAY090179 ABSOLUTE DC THE NEW FRONTIER HC NEW PTG $75.00
MAY090200 ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION $1.00
MAY090132 BATMAN #688 $2.99
APR098378 BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 2ND PTG $2.99
DEC080248 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE PENGUIN $75.00
MAY090151 BOOSTER GOLD #22 $3.99
MAY090212 CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #39 $2.50
APR090242 CHUCK TP $19.99
OCT080240 DARK KNIGHT BATMAN 1/2 SCALE BUST $295.00
APR090284 GO WEST VOL 03 $9.99
MAY090156 GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #22 $3.99
MAY090110 GREEN LANTERN #43 (BLACKEST NIGHT) $2.99
MAY090278 GREEN LANTERN FIRST FLIGHT DVD MAQUETTE $89.99
APR090211 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL TP VOL 02 $17.99
MAY090221 NORTH 40 #1 (OF 6) $2.99
MAY090165 REBELS #6 $2.99
MAY090136 RED ROBIN #2 $2.99
MAY090215 SCOOBY DOO #146 $2.50
APR090216 SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATLASH TP $9.99
MAY090219 STORMWATCH PHD #22 $2.99
MAR090173 SUPERMAN WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MAN OF TOMORROW HC $24.99
MAY090143 SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #5 (OF 12) $2.99
MAY090199 TOM STRONG #1 SPECIAL EDITION $1.00
MAY090176 WARLORD #4 $2.99
MAY090122 WEDNESDAY COMICS #1 (OF 12) $3.99
IMAGE COMICS

APR090412 DARKNESS #78 $2.99
MAY090305 ELEPHANTMEN WAR TOYS YVETTE (ONE SHOT) $3.50
MAY090325 PROOF TP VOL 03 THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO $14.99
MARVEL COMICS

MAY090612 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600 BY ALEX ROSS POSTER $8.99
MAY090487 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #36 $3.99
MAY090597 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN BY JMS ULTIMATE COLL TP BOOK 01 $34.99
MAY090442 DARK X-MEN BEGINNING #1 (OF 3) DAX $3.99
MAY090613 DARK X-MEN POSTER $8.99
MAY090546 GENEXT UNITED #3 (OF 5) $3.99
MAY090604 HULK BROKEN WORLDS TP $15.99
MAY090594 HULK RED AND GREEN TP VOL 02 $15.99
MAY090426 MARVEL 70TH ANNIVERSARY TP $24.99
MAY090513 MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #13 $2.99
FEB092604 MARVEL ART OF MARKO DJURDJEVIC HC $49.99
MAY090590 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED ODYSSEY PREM HC $24.99
JAN092566 MMW WARLOCK HC VOL 02 $59.99
JAN092567 MMW WARLOCK HC VOL 02 VAR ED 119 $59.99
MAY090582 MOON KNIGHT PREM HC VOL 05 DOWN SOUTH $19.99
MAY090476 MS MARVEL #41 DKR $2.99
MAY090609 NEW WARRIORS CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $24.99
MAY090431 PRIDE & PREJUDICE #4 (OF 5) $3.99
MAY090586 RUNAWAYS PREM HC TEENAGE WASTELAND $19.99
APR090477 SKRULL KILL KREW #3 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
MAY090418 STAND AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #4 (OF 5) $3.99
MAY090526 THOR TALES OF ASGARD BY LEE & KIRBY #3 (OF 6) $3.99
MAY090551 UNCANNY X-MEN FIRST CLASS #1 (OF 8 ) $2.99
MAY090532 WAR OF KINGS WARRIORS #1 (OF 2) $3.99
MAY090553 X-MEN FOREVER #3 $3.99
MAY090449 X-MEN LEGACY #226 DAX $2.99
MAY090603 X-MEN SHATTERING TP $34.99

For the complete list of all books shipping this Wednesday, visit http://www.diamondcomics.com.