Yesterday saw the return of the Diamond Retailer Lunch at San Diego Comic-Con  San Diego Comic-Con, the likes of which we have not seen since 2019. I mean, comic bookshop retailers have certainly had lunch in that period, but not on Diamond Comic Distributors' dime and not at San Diego. In that period, they have also lost a number of publishers such as DC Comics and IDW, though Marvel is very kindly sticking around. No sign of Dark Horse, Image, Dynamite though, as well as Marvel it's just AfterShock, Valiant and Boom Studios sponsoring this. It appeared that Bleeding Cool were the only press who have turned up, with Jimmy Leszczynski and his son, Jimmy Leszczynski. I think there were numbers in those names. You can read all about announcements and presentations from a number of publishers by following the Bleeding Cool Diamond Retailer Lunch tag.

Such as AfterShock – known as Agents Of Change, which sounds like a semi-MCU TV show on ANC, doesn't it? That went to Netflix and is now being ignored on Disney+? Anyway, they've been doing well. Publishing creator-owned comics, with no shared universe. and work with creators to tell the stories they want to tell, the way they want to tell them.

Up 37% on 2020 sales. Which is nice. But they recognise the struggles retailers are going through…

Distributor wars, pandemic effect, shipping delays, DC vs Marvel… but they have some strong messages to share!

And they return to their Ambassador Network, people hired to work as one-on-one contacts for individual stores, who can visit the store to help stock and sell AfterShock titles.

And does it work for stores or for AfterShock?

That's not bad, is it? And they had some quotes from satisfied stores.

They are also pushing AfterShock displays for stores.

And as a result of sales increases, AfterShock have made some changes. Whether signed uo to an Ambassador programme of not, every comic book store will get displays and POS.

They will introduce Ambassador Exclusive items to AfterShock Ambassador stores.

And they are in creasing their returnability, not just issue ones as standard…

But issue twos as well.

And they are also launching a new YA line called Seismic Press, with new titles, some annoucned, some not.

Including Side Effects in the new AfterShock Comics October 2022 solicitations. Indeed this seems like a fine time to draop AfterShock's October 2022 solicits and solicitations details…

CHICKEN DEVIL VOL 2 #1 CVR A SHERMAN AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221063 AUG221064 – CHICKEN DEVIL VOL 2 #1 CVR B 15 COPY FREE INCV MANAPUL AUG221065 – CHICKEN DEVIL VOL 2 #1 CVR B 15 COPY INCV MANAPUL – 4.99 (W) Brian Buccellato (A) Mattia Monaco (CA) Hayden Sherman The world's FIRST (and perhaps only) hot chicken sandwich-inspired vigilante is BACK…and this time he's not flocking around! See Mitchell Moss thrust in the middle of a new gang war! Watch Mitch battle his family as they actively thwart his efforts to keep them safe! And let out an exasperated SIGH alongside Mitch as he is forced into teaming up with the kill-crazy bad cops! Written by Brian Buccellato (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Detective Comics: Endgame) and illustrated by Mattia Monaco (KNOCK 'EM DEAD), these are the further adventures of a regular guy plucked out of obscurity by destiny to deliver justice with all the fixins! In Shops: Oct 12, 2022 SRP: 4.99

SIDE EFFECTS GN AFTERSHOCK COMICS FEB228735 (W) Ted Anderson (A / CA) Tara O'Connor

Hannah doesn't want to be a hero. She just wants to be well.

Hannah's dealing with a lot in her first year of college and to make matters worse, she's also battling her own brain, in the form of anxiety and depression. Fortunately, her therapist has put her on some meds to help, but those meds cause some unintended side effects, like sleepless nights, pounding headaches…

…or, in Hannah's case, superpowers.

Now, on top of juggling tests and dates, Hannah has to deal with occasionally shooting lightning bolts from her fingers or reading her girlfriend's mind. Maybe she's supposed to be a superhero, but all she wants to do is make it through the year in one piece.

Written by Ted Anderson (My Little Pony, Adventure Time: Beginning of the End, ORPHAN AGE, MOTH AND WHISPER) and illustrated by Tara O'Connor (Fly By Night, Roots, Puddles) comes a personal story about mental health and what it takes to find yourself again. In Shops: Oct 05, 2022 SRP: 17.99

LAST LINE #2 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221067 (W) Richard Dinnick (A) Jose Holder (CA) Andy Clarke With the mystery of what lies beneath London's subway network deepening, Sally Hazzard and Edward Tarn must follow the scant clues to the truth. But what they discover is not just a dusty abandoned Tube station, but a fantastic subterranean interplanetary travel complex. With time against them, Sally, Ed and their rag-tag team have to take the fight to the enemy as they prepare their counterattack. And this fight will take them away from everything they know to the surface of another planet… In Shops: Oct 12, 2022 SRP: 4.99

06 PROTOCOL #2 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221068 (W) Lee Turner (A) Cliff Richards (CA) Andy Clarke, Jose Villarrubia With W.A.S.P. hot on her trail, Cat saves Missy and her friends from being gunned down by Manjeet's Correctors. But mother and daughter are now on the run with two other teens and no idea who they can trust or turn to for answers. In Shops: Oct 19, 2022 SRP: 4.99

VINEYARD #3 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221069 (W) Brian Hawkins (A / CA) Sami Kivela Maranatha is caught off guard by the second sacrifice's identity, which causes her to lash out and question just how much more she can take of her family's murderous obedience to Dionysus. Meanwhile, siblings Sophia and Adonis face off about the extremism of their father's belief, and Calum gets in between. In Shops: Oct 12, 2022 SRP: 4.99

SAMURAI DOGGY #3 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221070 (W) Chris Tex (A / CA) Santtos As Samurai Doggy has countless guns pointed at his head, he only has one option: The way of the sword! Will Samurai Doggy overcome the odds stacked against him, or does he stare down his imminent execution? In Shops: Oct 19, 2022 SRP: 3.99

JIMMYS LITTLE BASTARDS #3 (OF 3) AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221071 (W) Garth Ennis (A) Russell Braun (CA) Andy Clarke A new generation of Bastards is back and bolder than ever! A special 3-issue oversized prestige format mini-series from Jimmy's creators GARTH ENNIS and RUSS BRAUN! In Shops: Oct 26, 2022 SRP: 7.99

ASTRONAUT DOWN #5 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221072 (W) James Patrick (A / CA) Rubine Douglas, an interdimensional astronaut, has one last chance to save his world. But is it worth what he will lose? With everything on the line, it's time for Douglas to choose between his duty and his desire – between the world he hates or the woman he loves. In Shops: Oct 26, 2022 SRP: 3.99

BROTHER OF ALL MEN #4 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221073 (W) Zac Thompson (A / CA) Eoin Marron A descent into the weird history of so-called Canada. Three truths are revealed. The first sets a man free. The second condemns a brother. And the third…destroys everything built by the cult of BROTHER XII In Shops: Oct 26, 2022 SRP: 4.99

THERES SOMETHING WRONG WITH PATRICK TODD #4 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221074 (W) Ed Brisson (A / CA) Gavin Guidry As bodies fall and secrets are revealed, a three-way collision course between Zeus, Patrick Todd and Detective Brad Anderson threatens to upend Patrick's life for good. Who…if anyone…will walk away? In Shops: Oct 19, 2022 SRP: 3.99

WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE #5 AFTERSHOCK COMICS AUG221075 (W) Mark Sable (A) Alberto Locati (CA) Jeremy Haun The survivors of the salvage crew finally discover the wreck of THE DEADALUS, Earth's first interstellar starship. They've also discovered the alien entity that crashed it into the ocean – a berserker probe that has judged humanity unworthy of space travel. As a World War threatens to break out on the surface, our heroes find themselves trying to prove to the entity that humankind is not only worthy of the stars, but of survival. In Shops: Oct 26, 2022 SRP: 3.99

KAIJU SCORE TP VOL 02 STEAL FROM THE GODS AFTERSHOCK COMICS APR228878 (W) James Patrick (A / CA) Rem Broo Michelle is back! She has her own crew and she's making her own rules. Unfortunately, her tendency for getting into hot water still remains, and her involvement in that now-infamous job in Florida, known as the Kaiju Score, is haunting her in many different ways. It's about to put her on a collision course with a new job, new characters, and – of course – new monsters. The second volume of the critically acclaimed, best-selling KAIJU SCORE (optioned by Sony Pictures) is here, and just like last time, not everyone will get out alive. Written by James Patrick (CAMPISI: THE DRAGON INCIDENT, Grimm Fairy Tales, Death Comes to Dillinger, The Monsters of Jimmy Crumb) and illustrated by Rem Broo (The End Times of Bram and Ben, Terminal Protocol), KAIJU SCORE: STEAL FROM THE GODS takes the crazy of the first volume to new heights of WTF, collecting the entire second arc, issues #1-4. In Shops: Nov 02, 2022 SRP: 17.99

BABYTEETH OMNIBUS HC AFTERSHOCK COMICS MAR229467 (W) Donny Cates (A / CA) Garry Brown Sadie Ritter is sixteen years old, nine months pregnant and scared out of her sweet nerdy mind. Having a baby that young is tough, but with the support of her loving family behind her, everything should be okay. OH YEAH, and also her baby is the antichrist and it's going to break open the barriers between the earthly and demonic planes and unleash eternal suffering to all of humankind. Other than that, though…should be fine. Written by Donny Cates (Redneck, Venom, Thanos and the break-out hit God Country) and illustrated by Garry Brown (THE REVISIONIST, Black Road, Daredevil), this is the entire smash hit series collected for the first time and featuring issues #1-20. In Shops: Nov 09, 2022 SRP: 99.99

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