Ssalefish GSO First Look #40 for 1.3.18

Sunday around 1:30 PM will mark exactly a year since Jay and I kicked off this adventure, and as someone that went directly from high school to college to a 40-hour-a-week salaried position with feel health insurance, it was the first time in my life that things were pretty much completely uncertain on the work front. We knew where we wanted to head, I had saved all I could, and there was a gentleman's agreement in place, but we had no business license, no location much less a lease, and our timetable was just as soon as possible.

But I felt good, better than I had in a long time.

Not 100%, I won't lie. I took a job at the UNCG Bookstore for minimum wage just for a sense of security, and while it became clear after a little over a week that I was just building mental roadblocks for myself like I had for years and years, as I could make more per hour coloring books and still set my own schedule as a freelancer, it was still eye-opening about the way Carly's day-to-day went, and it was a good reminder that even though I didn't at the moment, if things hadn't worked out, I could still do something else.

I wanna personally thank some people.

Jacob Chabot, who hasn't had a chance to make it to the shop yet, but still gave me a ton to do on Science Comics: Robots & Drones: Past, Present, and Future, out March 27th from First Second Books.

Gregg Schigiel, who also kept me busy in those dark times on Pix vol. 2: Too Super for School. With the time I had getting Gregg in for a signing the first time at my old job, it was an honor to have him for our very first in-store appearance.

Chris Giarrusso, who I had been scoping out apartments for as long ago as 2011, only to have the dream of him heading South and joining the Fungeon a reality just months after I left my founding spot behind. It's a professional goal met that we're working together on Encounter now.

Brian "Smitty" Smith, who I was doing The Castoffs with for Lion Forge this time last year, without whom the Texas trip in January that allowed us to make such a splash when we opened up in April would have been half as fun and logistically impossible.

Adam & Christina Orchekowski. If Jay and I could have brought along anyone else with us, it would have been Adam, yet as I've joked many times since, I may have already been ruining Jay & Lex's life, I didn't want to do it for our other best friends, too.

Riley Till. It wasn't the easiest transition from our old relationship, but I'll always remember him, having taken his own path six months earlier towards nursing school, telling me to go over and talk to Bret about a future together during HeroesCon 2016. And I'm glad we came out the other side.

Beck Seashols, John Floyd, Shane Davis, Nic Rummel, Matthew Roberts, Michole Miller, JP Burwell, and Mallory Hoffman for lending their talents to all of our events.

My family, including Gram & Pop for the "Sailfish" business card holder, Diane & Lee for the Amazon purchase, Aunt Karen for the opening day treats, Uncle Henry & Aunt Jeannette for the deal of a lifetime, and Memere & Pepere for the home cooked meal and Facebook comments.

Jay & Bret, beyond the accountability and camaraderie, it's always and instantly better when you guys are here.

My brother & sister-in-law, David & Miranda (definitely for the hotel rooms in Texas and surprising us at preview night), my parents, Janet & Richard, and my wife Carly. It's impossible to summarize everything other than to say thank you for allowing me to make this "my" year.

And to all of you! I wouldn't want to be doing anything else and you make that possible every day!

The following titles are scheduled to ship on Wednesday, January 3rd excluding some re-orders and providing nothing changes by the time the final invoice arrives on Monday:

• Adventure Time #72
• American Way Those Above & Below #5
• Astonishing X-Men #7 - Marvel Legacy! Astonishing X-Men #1 by John Cassaday lenticular homage and John Tyler Christopher trading card variants available!
• Babyteeth #7
• Batman #38
• Batman & the Signal #1 - Duke Thomas finally officially takes his place beside the Dark Knight in this new mini series!
• Batman White Knight #4
• Big Hard Sex Criminals HC vol. 2
• Birthright #29
• Black Bolt #9 - Marvel Legacy!
• Black Lightning Cold Dead Hands #3
• Black Panther Adventures TP
• Black Panther Little Golden Book HC
• Bombshells United #9
• Captain America #697 - Wolverine returned in Marvel Legacy #1 back in September, now track his path back to the X-Men in back-up story "post credit" scenes in here, Mighty Thor #704 and Amazing Spider-man #794 throughout January!
• Captain Atom Fall & Rise of Captain Atom TP
• Catalyst Prime Noble #8
• Crosswind #6
• Cyborg #20
• Dastardly & Muttley #5
• Deathstroke #27
• Elsewhere TP vol. 1
• Exit Stage Left Snagglepuss Chronicles #1
• Extremity #10
• Ghostbusters Answer the Call #2
• Giant Days #34
• Giants #2
• Goosebumps Monsters at Midnight #2
• Gravediggers Union #3
• Green Arrow #36
• Green Lanterns #38
• Guardians of the Galaxy #150 - Marvel Legacy & final issue featuring a lenticular variant, a la Phoenix Resurrection!
• Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps TP vol. 4
• Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica #4
• Hawkeye #14 - Marvel Legacy!
• Hero Cats #20
• Iceman #9 - Marvel Legacy!
• Infinite Loop Nothing but the Truth #3
• Injustice 2 #17
• Iron Fist #76 - Marvel Legacy!
• Jetsons #3
• Justice League #36
• Koshchei the Deathless #1 - Mike Mignola returns to the Hellboy universe!
• Marvel Black Panther Ultimate Guide HC
• Nightwing #36
• No. 1 with a Bullet #3
• Orphan Black Deviations TP
• Paper Girls #19
• Phoenix Resurrection Return of Jean Grey #2
• Planet of the Apes Ursus #1
• Rat Queens #7
• Rise of the Black Panther #1
• Rock Candy Mountain #7
• Rogue & Gambit #1
• Secret Weapons #0
• Shadow/ Batman #4
• Spawn #281
• Spider-man #236 - Marvel Legacy!
• Spider-man/ Deadpool TP vol. 4
• Star Trek New Visions TP vol. 6
• Star Wars #41 - new Galactic Icon variant available for the new year featuring Rey by Rod Reis!
• Star Wars Adventures Forces of Destiny Leia One-Shot - like DC Super Hero Girls, these specials will tie in with the doll line available now!
• Superman #28 - "Sons of Tomorrow" part 4!
• TMNT Universe #18
• Transformers vs. the Visionaries #1
• Underdog 1975 One-Shot
• Walking Dead #175 - kicking off the B-variant character covers by Bill Sienkiewicz!
• X-Men Gold #19 - Marvel Legacy!
• X-Men Grand Design #2 - final issue!

Also shipping next week:

• DC Comics Super Sons Jonathan Kent & Krypto ArtFX+ 2-Pack Statue
• Marvel Select Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 Drax & Baby Groot Figures
• Marvel Select Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 Star-lord & Rocket Figures
• Pop Heroes Blue Beetle & Booster Gold Metallic 2-Pack
• Saga Will & Lying Cat 2-Pack Figures