New Comic Wednesday: February 1, 2012

Make sure all your manna is tapped before attacking this week’s pick.

If you've ever walked into a comics shop, you've probably seen people playing “Magic: The Gathering” or, at the very least, seen the cards for sale.

“Magic” is one of the best-selling tabletop games of all time and the biggest name to emerge from the collectible card-game boom of the early ‘90s. This, of course, was after the big comics and card game boom of the early ‘90s.

Not a big “Magic” player myself, I reached out to my go-to guy for all things comic and gaming-shop related, Daniel Dean from Titan Games and Comics in Smyrna, Georgia, and asked him to let us in on the secrets of “MTG.”

"'Magic: The Gathering' has stood the test of time for three reasons," Dean said. "Deep and complex gameplay that builds from a simple thesis of 'have land/do stuff,' the shrewd marketing and official play support of [game creator] Wizards of the Coast, and the continued availability of the product not just in comic shops but major retailers like Wal-Mart or Barnes and Noble.”

So far, though, the worlds of “Magic” and comics have never really meshed, despite some promising attempts in years past, Dean said.

I'm hoping this changes with IDW’s “Magic: The Gathering #1,” a story filled with revenge, backdoor deals, heists, magical melee and a rogue named Dack with a habit of spawning new universes.

Dack is a Planeswalker, someone who can cross whole universes at will. You’d think that would make it easy enough to run away from his problems and his past, right? Well, not quite.

It looks like the series is going to set out to explicitly depict narrative shifts that recent expansions of the card game have only been able to imply.

“I've got lots of customers who play ‘Magic’ and lots of customers who buy comics. I have fewer who do both,” Dean said. “If this new book convinces one ‘Magic’ player to give the rest of IDW's line a try at my store or vice-versa then I'll consider it an unqualified success.”

(Looking for somewhere to start? IDW's “Dungeons and Dragons” comic, also based on a Wizards of the Coast property, makes sense to us).

After read the book, I think the franchise might successfully cross over. If you're looking for something new this week, or just want to dip your toe in and see what the hell all these “Magic” players are always on about, think about giving “Magic: The Gathering #1” a shot.

As a bonus to folks who play "MTG," all print copies of the book will have an exclusive card included that can be used in upcoming games.

So, until next week, go forth and read, my people. And the reading will be good!

Is there a comic out there that you really love? Let us know in the comments. We’re always looking for tips on good comics!

Here are some of the comics scheduled to hit the shelves on February 1, 2012. Your local retailer will probably have these and others, so make sure to check with them for more details.

IDW PUBLISHING

ANNE RICE SERVANT OF THE BONES #6 (OF 6) $3.99
DOCTOR WHO ONGOING VOL 2 #14 $3.99
ETERNAL DESCENT VOL 2 #3 (OF 6) $3.99
GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #175 $3.99
GI JOE V2 ONGOING TP VOL 02 COBRA CIVIL WAR $17.99
GI JOE VOL 2 ONGOING #10 $3.99
INFESTATION 2 TRANSFORMERS #1 (OF 2) $3.99
JOHN ROMITA AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ARTIST ED HC PI
LOCKE & KEY CLOCKWORKS #4 (OF 6) $3.99
LOCKE & KEY SPEC ED HC VOL 01 WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT $100.00
MAGIC THE GATHERING #1 $3.99
TRANSFORMERS EVOLUTIONS HEARTS OF STEEL TP (NEW PTG) $19.99

MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #679 $3.99
AVENGERS ACADEMY #25 $2.99
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE TP VOL 02 $34.99
AVENGERS HAWKEYE TP $19.99
AVENGERS X-SANCTION #3 (OF 4) $3.99
CARNAGE USA #1 (OF 5) 2ND PTG CRAIN VAR (PP #1003) $3.99
DEFENDERS #3 $3.99
ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 06 NEW ED $19.99
FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #8 (OF 12) $2.99
FEAR ITSELF HEROES FOR HIRE PREM HC $24.99
HULK #48 $2.99
INCREDIBLE HULKS FALL OF HULKS HC $39.99
JOHN CARTER A PRINCESS OF MARS GN TP $14.99
JOHN CARTER WORLD OF MARS TP $14.99
PUNISHER #8 $2.99
THOR DEVIANTS SAGA #4 (OF 5) $3.99
TWELVE #9 (OF 12) (RES) $2.99
TWELVE MUST HAVE #1 $3.99
UNCANNY X-FORCE #21 XREGG $3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #6 $3.99
VENOM #13 $3.99
VILLAINS FOR HIRE #3 (OF 4) $2.99
WINTER SOLDIER #1 $2.99
WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #3 2ND PTG BACHALO VAR XREGG (PP #1004) $3.99
X-CLUB #3 (OF 5) $2.99
X-FACTOR #231 XREGG $2.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Amazing Spider-Man #679
Avengers: The X-Sanction #3
Defenders #3
Fear Itself: The Fearless #8
Thor: The Deviants Saga #4
Uncanny X-Force #21
Uncanny X-Men #6
Villains For Hire #3
Venom #13
Winter Soldier #1
X-Club #3
X-Factor #231

DC COMICS

ACTION COMICS #6 $3.99
ACTION COMICS #6 COMBO PACK $4.99
AMERICAN VAMPIRE HC VOL 03 (MR) $24.99
ANIMAL MAN #6 $2.99
BATMAN GATES OF GOTHAM TP $14.99
BATWING #6 $2.99
DETECTIVE COMICS #6 $2.99
GREEN ARROW #6 $2.99
GREEN ARROW SALVATION HC $22.99
HAWK AND DOVE #6 $2.99
IZOMBIE #22 (MR) $2.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #6 $2.99
MEN OF WAR #6 $3.99
OMAC #6 $2.99
RAT CATCHER TP (MR) $12.99
RED LANTERNS #6 $2.99
SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #18 $2.99
STATIC SHOCK #6 $2.99
STORMWATCH #6 $2.99
SUPERMAN REIGN OF DOOMSDAY HC $22.99
SUPERNATURAL #5 (OF 6) $2.99
SWAMP THING #6 $2.99
SWEET TOOTH #30 (MR) $2.99
XOMBI TP $14.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Action Comics #6
Animal Man #6
Batwing #6
Detective Comics #6
Green Arrow #6
Hawk & Dove #6
iZOMBIE #22
Justice League International #6
Men of War #6
OMAC #6
Red Lanterns #6
Static Shock #6
Stormwatch #6
Supernatural Vol.4
Swamp Thing #6
Sweet Tooth #30
DC Digital Comics Sneak Peeks 2/1/12
Batman: Arkham Unhinged #16
Justice League Beyond #1
Beyond the Fringe #4

DARK HORSE COMICS

ARCHIE ARCHIVES HC VOL 04 $49.99
CLASSIC MARVEL CHARACTERS #4 DAREDEVIL $49.95
CLASSIC MARVEL CHARACTERS FF #1 MR FANTASTIC $49.95
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #8 DONALDSON VAR CVR $7.99
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #8 FEGREDO CVR $7.99
MASS EFFECT PLAYING CARDS $4.99
MIGHTY SKULLBOY ARMY TP VOL 02 $14.99
STAR WARS DAWN OF THE JEDI #0 $3.50

IMAGE COMICS

ALPHA GIRL #1 (MR) $2.99
ART OF CARBON GREY HC $29.99
AVENGELYNE HC VOL 01 DEVIL I/T FLESH $24.99
FATALE #1 VAR CVR 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50
FATALE #2 (MR) $3.50
FRACTURED FABLES TP $19.99
INVINCIBLE #88 $2.99
LIL DEPRESSED BOY TP VOL 02 $12.99
MADMAN 20TH ANNIVERSARY MONSTER HC $100.00
REED GUNTHER #8 $2.99
SAVAGE DRAGON #178 $3.50
STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #5 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
WITCHBLADE REDEMPTION TP VOL 04 $19.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Alpha Girl #1
Art Of Carbon Grey
Avengelyne Hc Vol 01
Fatale #2
Invincible #88
The Lil Depressed Boy Tp Vol 02
Reed Gunther #8
Savage Dragon #178
Strange Talent Of Luther Strode #5
Witchblade Redemption Tp Vol 04
Vescell #6

Dynamite Entertainment

BOYS #63 (MR) $3.99
KIRBY GENESIS CAPTAIN VICTORY #3 $3.99
THE LONE RANGER #2 $3.99
VAMPIRELLA TP VOL 02 $16.99
WARLORD OF MARS ANNUAL #1 (MR) $4.99
WARLORD OF MARS FALL OF BARSOOM TP VOL 01 $17.99
WARRIORS OF MARS #1 (MR) $3.99
ROBERT JORDAN WHEEL OF TIME EYE O/T WORLD #20 $3.99

Digital Same Day As Print

The Boys #63
Kirby: Genesis – Captain Victory #3
Warriors Of Mars #1
Warlord Of Mars Annual #1
Robert Jordan’s Wheel Of Time: Eye Of The World #20

BOOM! Studios

BETRAYAL O/T PLANET O/T APES #4 (OF 4) $3.99
HELLRAISER #10 (MR) $3.99
HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES #7 (MR) $3.99
ICE AGE ICED IN ONE SHOT $3.99
IRREDEEMABLE #34 $3.99
VALEN OUTCAST #3 MAIN CVRS $3.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Hellraiser #10
Incorruptible #26
Irredeemable #34

Archie Comics

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #233 $2.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Sonic The Hedgehog #233

List is via Previews World