It’s an especially interesting week of new comics for folks whose reading habits extend beyond the heroic realm.  Here are a few noteworthy selections to consider in your comic book travels.

1) Daytripper TP

One of the highlights of 2010 finally gets collected in a nice trade paperback from Vertigo.  Twin creators Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba crafted a poetic book that garnered acclaim from a wide range of other comic pros and fans alike.  In addition to including the entire 10 issue series, this collection contains a one page illustrated intro from Blankets creator Craig Thompson, as well as a bonus section of sketches and afterthoughts from the creators.  Pick this up and see why so many of us continue to herald this book as one of last year’s best.

2) DC Universe Online Legends #1

I wasn’t planning on writing about this one because initially I thought it might only be an effort from DC to drum up more buzz for their video game of the same name.  However, customers have really been talking about it, so it’s worth reminding everyone about it here.  Adding to the buildup is the creative team consisting of pros like Marv Wolfman, Tony Bedard, Howard Porter, and Adriana Melo.

3) Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever #1

It’s true that Mike Mignola’s comic universe has been growing at an exponential rate in recent years.  Some argue that perhaps it’s growing too much, and something is lost when Mignola himself doesn’t illustrate his fascinating creations.  This first issue of the new Witchfinder mini series reminds us that even when he doesn’t draw his creations, Mignola always gets top notch creators to help out.  In the case of this series, legendary comic artist John Severin steps in to guide the Witchfinder as he ventures to the American West.  So you not only get another chapter in the life of an interesting character via writers Mignola and John Arcudi, but you have a supernatural western tale illustrated by Severin.  Do you really need any more cajoling to consider picking this one up?

4)  Cursed Pirate Girl TP

Some of you might’ve heard about this unique work from creator Jeremy Bastian.  A seafaring tale that blends the tiniest of detailed line work with elements of classic children’s literature, Bastian’s work is both hard to find and widely acclaimed.  This trade collects the first three issues along with a new epilogue.  Check it out to see some great textural art from a great up-and-coming comic creator.

5) Scenes from an Impending Marriage

A new book from Adrian Tomine is well worth a mention on the spotlight.  If you’ve followed Tomine’s work in books like Optic Nerve and Shortcomings, you know Tomine’s already solidified his spot among literary minded cartoonists like Daniel Clowes and Chris Ware.  While his cartooning is always clean and worth a look, this new book intrigues me because it seems to lack some of the pathos that one might typically associate with his work.  Originally used as a gift for guests at his wedding, Scenes of an Impending Marriage looks to be one of Tomine’s lightest and most humorous offerings to date.  Enjoy a sneak peak from the book below!

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Doctor Strange: From the Marvel Vault #1, Batman Beyond #2, Ultimate Comics Thor #4, Batman: Odyssey #6, Captain America: Patriot TP, and an Obama/Palin appearance in Archie #617.