Never read a graphic novel before? Haven’t read a comic book in years?

(It’s catch-up time.)

Here’s some brand new stuff that came out the week of September 16 that I think is worth a look-see for someone with little to no history with comics. That means you should be able to pick any of these up cold without having read anything else. So take a look and see if something doesn’t grab your fancy. If so, follow the publisher links or Amazon.com links to buy yourself a copy. Or, head to your local friendly comic book shop.

Don’t have a lot of time, so not much commentary from me. Just imagine me being excited about all of these because they all look awesome.

Disclaimer: For the most part, I have not read these yet, so I can’t vouch for their quality. But, from what I’ve heard and seen, odds are good they just might appeal to you.

Mr. Stuffins – $12.99
By Andrew Cosby, Johanna Stokes & Alex Medellin
88 pages; published by Boom! Studios; available at Amazon.com

“My teddy bear’s a secret agent!” When a scientist succeeds in creating Artificial Intelligence, he discovers to his horror that the government plans on making it a weapon. On the run, he hides the program inside a mechanical toy bear. An unsuspecting family buys the toy bear and a little boy discovers a new best friend – a cute, cuddly toy bear who’s got all the moves of James Bond! Chaos, fun, and mayhem ensue, from the creator of EUREKA Andrew Cosby and EUREKA writer Johanna Stokes! Covers by MOUSE GUARD’s David Petersen.

The covers alone crack me up. Here’s a preview of the first several pages. And here’s another preview of the third chapter.

3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man – $19.95
By Matt Kindt
192 pages; published by Dark Horse Comics; available at Amazon.com

What would it be like to stand head and shoulders above everyone else — and to keep growing? Unable to interact with a fragile world that isn’t built to withstand your size? To live in a house that doesn’t fit you anymore — with a wife who doesn’t either?

Craig Pressgang’s life is well documented in his official CIA biography, Giant Man: Pillar of America, but the heroic picture it paints is only half the story. The continuous growth caused by Craig’s strange medical condition brings a variety of problems as he becomes more isolated and unknowable. Told in three eras by three women with unique relationships with Craig, 3 Story follows his sad life from his birth to the present.

Here’s a preview. Beautiful stuff. Also, here’s a the first of a 3-part interview with the writer/artist, which includes more images.

The Vietnam War: A Graphic History – $19.95
By Dwight Jon Zimmerman & Wayne Vansant
160 pages; published by Hill & Wang; available at Amazon.com

When Senator Edward Kennedy declared, “Iraq is George Bush’s Vietnam,” everyone understood. The Vietnam War has become the touchstone for U.S. military misadventures—a war lost on the home front although never truly lost on the battlefront. During the pivotal decade of 1962 to 1972, U.S. involvement rose from a few hundred advisers to a fighting force of more than one million. This same period saw the greatest schism in American society since the Civil War, a generational divide pitting mothers and fathers against sons and daughters who protested the country’s ever-growing military involvement in Vietnam. Meanwhile, well-intentioned decisions in Washington became operational orders with tragic outcomes in the rice paddies, jungles, and villages of Southeast Asia. Through beautifully rendered artwork, The Vietnam War: A Graphic History depicts the course of the war from its initial expansion in the early 1960s through the evacuation of Saigon in 1975, and what transpired at home, from the antiwar movement and the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. to the Watergate break-in and the resignation of a president.

I couldn’t find any previews for this but from what I’ve heard it’s a solid objective overview of this period of American history. It’s bound to be more engaging than a text book. Schools would be wise to take a look at this one.

Haunt of Horror – $29.99
By Richard Corben, Edgar Allen Poe & H.P. Lovecraft
216 pages; published by Marvel Comics; available at Amazon.com

Presenting one incredible collection of classic tales re-imagined by legendary horror artist Richard Corben. First, it’s Edgar Allan Poe as you’ve never seen him before. Classic Poe stories and poems are transformed into weird and disturbing new comic-book fantasies, with the original Poe texts printed alongside the new tales as an added bonus. It’s a frightening new presentation of Poe-inspired murder, madness and monstrosities! Then, Corben brings you a bold new interpretation full of eerie new spins on the poems and short stories of H.P. Lovecraft. Each adaptation is beautifully rendered in black and white with gray tones as only Corben can do it — along with a printing of the original source text by H.P. Lovecraft. Explicit Content.

Creepy and macabre… just in time for Halloween. Here’s a review with some artwork.