After a few weeks of hoopla surrounding the comic and film announcements at San Diego Comic Con, it’s nice to know that another new comic day is upon us.  As usual, I can’t cover all of the new titles here so check our ‘new releases’ page for a complete listing.  Here are just a few of the new books I’d like you to be aware of this week:

1) American Vampire #5

Chances are good that if you’ve been in the store over the past several months you’ve heard me or one of my Heroes cohorts praising this title.  For those who think this might just be another of the many vampire books that have jumped on the undead bandwagon, you’d be wrong.  Author Scott Snyder offers a new take on the vampire mythology that returns the creatures to their dark and vicious origins.  Throw in the stylized art of Raphael Albuquerque who continues to illustrate the two sections of the book in two distinct art styles, and you have a really talented creative team working on a book that deserves every bit of the praise it’s receiving.  Another reason to give this book a try?  Stephen King has written the backup story in each of the issues thus far, marking perhaps the first time he’s written a serialized story based on characters he didn’t create!  Issue five wraps up the first story arc of the series and should tie up some loose ends and shine a light on the next storyline.

2) Artifacts #1

This series is being billed as an event 5 years in the making and one which is said to be remaking the characters in the Top Cow universe.  At the same time, early publicity is saying that this issue is a good jumping on point for new readers.  So if you’re a fan of older stories of Witchblade and the Darkness, or just curious about the characters in general you might have some interest in checking this one out.  Veteran writer Ron Marz is at the reins of this one, with artist Michael Broussard handling the art.  These characters remain popular properties, and it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if this one sells quickly.

3) Four Eyes TP vol. 1

This first collection from Joe Kelly and Max Fiumara collects the first four issues of their acclaimed and hard to find original series.  If you haven’t heard of this book, it has the unique premise of combining depression-era America with dragons!  That might sound a little strange to some, but this book came in under the radar and was a quick seller the first go round.  Aside from the acclaim the creators garnered on this title, they might be more recently recognized for their excellent work in introducing a new Rhino in Amazing Spider-man.  Kelly’s been around for a little while – remember he wrote a nice chunk of the first Deadpool ongoing series – and he’s gotten back to form recently.  Fiumara is definitely an up-and-comer whose art deserves appreciation.  You might have trouble finding all the Four Eyes individual issues, so this is the best place to jump on board this good book.

4) Thor: The Mighty Avenger #2

Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee return with the second issue of their excellent take on Thor.  The first issue was one of my favorite comics of recent weeks.  And while this is an all-ages title, don’t assume that means this reading of the character will be cute or silly. While it does appeal to younger readers, Langridge and Samnee bring some of the old Lee and Kirby fun back to the character, which adult readers should also appreciate.

5)  The Marvels Project: Birth of the Super Heroes HC

For those of you who didn’t pick up this series the first time around, here’s your chance to see one of Marvel’s best in a glorious hardcover format.  This book is worth adding to your library for a number of reasons.  Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting followed up their momentum on Captain America by taking on the early years of Marvel heroes and exploring new aspects that we hadn’t seen before.  Though the book has a large scope it’s successful because the creators don’t get lost in the scale, but focus on the individual characters as they deal with worldwide upheaval and their increasing self-awareness of their abilities.  We’ve seen several books in the past that deal with Marvels early days.  Some readers might have ignored this book for that very reason.  But Brubaker and Epting dug a little deeper into the characters themselves, while still linking Marvel’s history into a nice linear structure.  There’s no multiverses or alternate realities here, just two creators with respect for the past who tell a well-rounded tale that’s as reliant on history as it is nostalgia.

That’s the spotlight for this week!   As I said, this is only a few of the many new books released today.  Let us know what you read this week that you really enjoyed or were surprised by.  We on the Heroes Staff are a group that appreciates a wide variety of comics, but we like to hear what you’re reading too!