Progressive Ruin presents…the End of Civilization.

§ July 4th, 2016 § Filed under End of Civilization § 17 Comments

The End of Civilization is closer than ever, friends, and there’s no greater tome of portent than this, the July 2016 edition of Diamond Previews! Grab your copy and follow along, if you think your heart can stand it! Also, yes, I know there’s an easier way to do that Space Invaders thing…anyway, HERE WE GO:

p. 62 – Avatar The Last Airbender Coloring Book TP:

p63avacola
“Here, Little Billy, I even bought you some extra blue crayons since I know you’re going to need them.”

“THAT’S A DIFFERENT AV — sigh, thanks Aunt Millie.”
 
 
p. 63 – Serenity Adult Coloring Book TP:

p63serencoloring
“What color is ‘eternal longing for a thing that will never return?'”

“Periwinkle.”

“Okay, thanks.”
 
 
p. 98 – All-Star Batman #2:

p98allstarbat
At long last! The Greatest Batman Epic of Our Time finally continues! None of you believed, but only I kept the faith that Miller and Lee would return to this grand tale! HA! IN YOUR FACES, SUCKERS.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: nobody tell Mike. He doesn’t know yet.]
 
 
p. 108 – The Flash #6:

p108flash
Okay, having a speedster villain named “Godspeed” is pretty great. But if someone named “Black Emperor” shows up….
 
 
p. 130 – Batman ’66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel #3:

p130batmansteed
please please please “Batman ’66 Visits Gilligan’s Island” next please please
 
 
p. 137 – Goodnight Batcave HC:

p137goodnightbatcave

You know, if they’re going to be doing Batman-themed children’s book parodies, well….

areyoumymother
 
 
p. 139 – Watchmen Noir HC:

p139watchmennoir
C’mon, just call it the “Watchmen Coloring Book,” you know you want to.
 
 
p. 148 – Supergirl Book One TP:

p148sgirlbook

CUSTOMER: “So my daughter really likes the Supergirl TV show…will she like this book?”

ME: “Um, well, this Supergirl is actually a shape-changing artificial being from a parallel universe who merges with a human woman, and then there’s this whole angel thing….”

CUSTOMER: [blank stare]

ME: “Yeah, it’ll be fine.”

[PLEASE NOTE: the previous dialogue was simply a fictional exaggeration and not reflective of my actual in-store behavior. At least, not for another decade or two.]
 
 
p. 197 – Strawberry Shortcake #6 Scented Variant:

p197strawberry
“And now, My Little Pony scented variants!”

“OH GOD IT SMELLS LIKE THE END OF A PARADE…gaaaack”
 
 
p. 237 – Snotgirl #3:

p237snotgirl
So, a boy, then?

(Look, I’ve had that stupid joke rattling around in my head for months.)
 
 
p. 279 – Irwin Allen’s Lost in Space #5:

p279lostinsp
Surely with at least three versions of Lost in Space rattling around (what with the upcoming Netflix revival) we’re due for some kind of “Crisis of Infinite Jupiter 2s” or something. Actually, I’m still waiting for Classic Trek vs. New Trek thing…”Prime Universe Vs. The Kelvin Timeline,” if you’re nasty nerdy. (EDIT: I’m told Old Vs. New Trek is already a thing in the comics. I SAT TOO LONG ON THIS JOKE.)
 
 
p. 286 – Trump Vs. Clinton Coloring Book:

p286trumpclinton
NO MATTER WHO WINS, WE LOSE…well, okay, more one than the other, but still.
 
 
p. 287 – Major League Badass T-Shirt:

p287majorl
Please enjoy this t-shirt of a Generic Shaggy-Haired Fella What Carries What Could Be Just Any Crossbow, and Not Any Particular One, No, Really, I Have No Idea What You’re Talking About.
 
 
p. 328 – Tarot Witch of the Black Rose #100:

p328tarot
Number one hundred!? That’s a lot of haunted vaginas. In fact, haunted vaginas for everyone!

“Hooray!”
 
 
p. 336 – Art of Atari HC:

p336artatari
NOT INCLUDED: beautiful watercolor painting of me frying my 2600 so I could get two shots at a time in Space Invaders.
 
 
p. 351 – Battlestar Galactica #2 Subscription Variant:

p351bgmuffit
Ladies and gentlemen…the best one yet of these action figure variant covers.
 
 
p. 362 – Barack the Barbarian GN:

p362barack
“Ah, once I’m out of office, maybe they’ll stop making comics about me.”

PREVIEWS JUNE 2017: “Retired Barack Versus Predator #1”

“DAMMIT.”
 
 
p. 501 – Doctor Who A History of Humankind, The Doctor’s Official Guide HC:

p501drwho
“THE BEGINNING OF THE END: THE CREATION OF THE INTERNET”
 
 
p. 506 – Ghostbusters 2016 Little Golden Book:

p506ghostlittle
Oh, great, here come people complaining about women ruining their children’s books, too.
 
 
p. 508 – Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Star Wars Little Golden Book:

p508swgolden
“Um…open heart surgery?”

“Page 17.”

“How to file quarterly sales taxes?”

“Page 113.”

“Ballroom dancing?”

“Page 484.”

“This is one hell of a long Little Golden Book.”

“Contains all knowledge it does, yes? Hee hee hee!”
 
 
p. 554 – Batman & Robin Clooney Panther Cowl Replica:

p554panthercowl
Had literally no idea merchandising from the Clooney Batman was still a thing. Is there enough demand for that very specific version of the Bat-cowl to…oh, what am I even saying.
 
 
p. 569 – Pop! Aliens Alien Queen 6-Inch Vinyl Figure:

Man, that alien queen from Aliens, there’s no way they could make that more terrif–GAH

p569alienq
 
 
p. 576 – Alfred Hitchcock 1/6 Scale Collectible Figure:

p576hitch
Hitchcock figure making mysterious cameos in other action figure playsets: “hey, who’s that behind the Mission to Gamma VI set?” “BILLY, GET YOUR HITCHCOCK FIGURE OUT OF HERE!”
 
 
p. 601 – Batman V Superman Batman Nendoroid Justice Edition:

p601bvsnen
Even the most outspoken of Batman V Superman haters will love our newest version of the film, where every appearance of Ben Affleck has been replaced with this cutie pie.
 
 
p. 604 – Gundam Unicorn GFFMC Unicorn Gundam “Final Battle” Figure:

p604gundam
Thundercleese looks different from how I remember.
 
 
p. 609 – Pharrell Williams Real Action Hero:

p609phw
This is the worst Freddy Krueger cosplay I have ever seen.
 
 
p. 624 – Movie Icons The Godfather Vito Corleone 7-Inch Action Figure:

p624vito
Alternate Orange Peel Head not included.
 
 
p. 632 – Cthulhu Molded Mug:

p632ctmug
“That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die…before my first cup of coffee! Am I right, Augie?”

“I’ve asked you before not to talk to me, Howard.”
 
 
Marvel Previews p. 105 – Color Your Own Star Wars:

mp105colorsw
Look, I already did that with markers in my old treasury editions because the lightsabers were the wrong color, so, got that taken care of, thanks.

17 Responses to “Progressive Ruin presents…the End of Civilization.”

  • JT says:

    I often comes to think of this old gem when i read these posts.

    R.E.M. – It’s The End Of The World
    https://youtu.be/Z0GFRcFm-aY

    As always, you do a great job with your blog!

    Greetings from Sweden

  • DavidG says:

    So, I’m going through this, thinking “who the hell buys these stupid action figures, Pharrell Williams, seriously?” And then I saw that Godfather one and thought “That looks cool, wonder what they cost?” So I guess the answer is “People like me”.

  • William Burns says:

    I’m holding out for Batman 66 meets Maxwell Smart.

  • John says:

    “Please enjoy this t-shirt of a Generic Shaggy-Haired Fella What Carries What Could Be Just Any Crossbow, and Not Any Particular One, No, Really, I Have No Idea What You’re Talking About.”

    Apparently this is an area of pop culture in which my knowledge is deficient because I genuinely really have no idea what you’re talking about.

  • Is Snotgirl passing (I assume) Snotboy a cherry? What the hell is going on there?

  • Mikester says:

    DavidG – Well, to be fair, the Pharrell figure was cancelled since this issue of Previews was printed, so some sanity reigns somewhere.

    John – This shirt may be based on a certain gentleman from a show about dead people who are still walking.

  • Jack says:

    Sign me up for that Galactica cover variant now!

  • Kurt Onstad says:

    That’s a lot of coloring to do…

    Also: “You get a haunted vagina! And you get a haunted vagina! And you…Everyone gets a haunted vagina!”

  • JWRollins says:

    “This is the worst Freddy Krueger cosplay I have ever seen.”

    Or is it Smokey the Bear?

  • Chris G says:

    I remember Peter David complaining that DC had cancelled his Supergirl book in order to bring back the “cousin-from-Krypton” version, when he had plans to bring the pre-Crisis Supergirl back to his book and team her up with the Matrix/Earth Angel version and rename the book Supergirls.

  • Matthew Johnson says:

    No Shyamalan jokes about the Avatar coloring book?

    “Sure, you can color them all white if you want…”

  • • “Strawberry ortcake”???

    • Actually, I’m waiting for that Batman ’66/Mr. Terrific/Captain Nice issue, since they were all on around the same time.

    • I see the Hitchcock figure comes with a pair of severed hands :b

  • Jason says:

    The next iteration of the color-your-own comic books will include all empty dialog balloons, so you can script them yourself.

  • Simon says:

    > p. 108 – The Flash #6

    Shouldn’t such costume get him called Silver Mt. Zion?

    > p. 130 – Batman ’66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel #3

    Is it the giant hand of DC’s new villain Doc Manhattan?

    > p. 137 – Goodnight Batcave

    How can it be “A 100% UNauthorized Parody!” from DC?

    > p. 197 – Strawberry Shortcake #6 Scented Variant

    Cocaine-scented STRAWBERRY snORTCAKE?

    > p. 237 – Snotgirl #3

    Popping her cherry?

    > p. 336 – Art of Atari

    I’m not hip to this Atari person, is he big in Japan?

    > p. 362 – Barack the Barbarian

    Barack the Prime Minister
    Barack the Pope
    Barack the House Guest
    Barack the Comatose

    > p. 506 – Ghostbusters 2016 Little Golden Book

    Is it about Golden Showers or German Goo Girls?

    > p. 569 – Pop! Aliens Alien Queen

    Modok, is that you?

    > p. 576 – Alfred Hitchcock 1/6 Scale Collectible Figure

    Alfred Pennyworth changed his name?

    > p. 604 – Gundam Unicorn

    Next, the Gundam Batman?

    > p. 609 – Pharrell Williams Real Action Hero

    That wasn’t Michael Jackson?

    > p. 624 – Movie Icons The Godfather

    Horse head not included?

    > p. 632 – Cthulhu Molded Mug

    Molded after Cthulhu’s rap video?

  • James says:

    Definitely wasn’t expecting to see a Godspeed You! Black Emperor joke here.

  • Casie says:

    Oh man, I needed that! Thanks for the laughs, Mike! The Supergirl Strawberry My Little Pony Hitchcock…so very funny! :)
    *and YES to Batman and Gilligan’s Island!