This week’s spotlight has been more difficult than usual to narrow down my selections.  Make sure you peruse this week’s new releases page because there are quite a few impressive titles coming out today.  Last week I focused largely on non-Marvel publications.  This week it’s quite the reverse, as Marvel offers a variety of potentially good books for your reading pleasure.

1) Thor: For Asgard #1

Writer Robert Rodi and artist Simone Bianchi bring us a tale of Asgard’s storied past.  Rodi has already proven his ability to write Asgardian characters with his Loki series from a few years back.  Bianchi is a fan favorite artist who I might argue is finally on a title that suits his art style.  In this new series we see Thor trying to keep the fractals of Asgard together, all while being unable to use his famed hammer.  Here’s hoping we see Thor take on lots of monstrosities with a big battle axe in place of Mjolnir!  You know with the upcoming Thor film quickly approaching we’ll be seeing lots of Thor and Asgard-related comics in the next year.  Along with the great new Thor: the Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee, this may be one of the better of those many upcoming miniseries.

2) Amazing Screw-on Head HC, Baltimore: The Plague Ships #2, Hellboy: the Storm #3, Baltimore: The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire HC

For those of you like me who think just about everything Mike Mignola does is worth reading, this is one of the best weeks we’ve seen in a long time.  Not only will we see the second chapter of the new Baltimore miniseries (co-written with Christopher Golden and illustrated by Ben Stenbeck), but also a new printing of the Baltimore novel that inspired the new comic. We haven’t had a copy of the novel in a good while, so this is a great chance for those of you who enjoyed the first issue of the Baltimore comic and want even more back story.  This week’s Hellboy: the Storm issue wraps up the second series in three by Mignola and Duncan Fegredo.  And finally, we have the long-awaited Amazing Screw-on Head HC.  Originally published as a one shot, the initial printing is incredibly tough to track down.  This new hardcover format not only reprints the Screw-on Head story (which focuses on a robotic agent drafted by President Lincoln to protect the country), but also other rare Mignola stories.  Included in the other rare material is the story “The Magician and the Snake,” which won an Eisner award a few years ago.  And to top all that is the fact that there are brand new unpublished stories also included in this collection.  It’s truly a great week for all the Mignola fans out there!

3) Wolverine #1

Not just another new relaunch of one of Marvel’s mainstays, this new series deserves attention if for no other reason than the talents of writer Jason Aaron.  While I’m not a huge fan of Wolverine, Aaron and Ron Garney’s recent Wolverine: Weapon X series really impressed me with its honest portrayal of the character.  In this new ongoing Aaron teams with recent DC artist Renato Guedes who some of you might remember from Action Comics and other Superman titles.  The first story in the new series focuses on Wolverine’s soul being sent to hell while his body remains on Earth.  Expect lots of violence being directed towards demons, humans, mutants, and probably countless other creatures.  Also in this issue is a backup story by Aaron and local artist Jason Latour.  Latour illustrated a great story in last month’s Daredevil: Black and White one shot, and also contributes an Iron Fist story to this week’s I Am An Avenger first issue.  This new Avengers miniseries boasts a first issue that also includes the likes of Jim McCann, Duane Swierczynski, and Chris Samnee.  We’re happy to see two new comics today featuring art from Jason Latour, an artist we’ve known about for a while but one whose work you’ll definitely be seeing and hearing a lot more about in the industry in the coming years.

4) Taskmaster #1

In this new miniseries from Marvel Zombies writer Fred Van Lente and Doctor Voodoo artist Jefte Paolo you’ll get to see what happened to the classic villain post-Siege.  The character has apparently suffered recent memory loss so the series also gives us a look back at some stories from the character’s mysterious past.  Not only is Taskmaster one of Marvel’s great villains, but he’s got a couple of talented creators bringing this new story to life.  In recent years Van Lente has worked on several popular Marvel titles and won several fans in the process.  Some of you might not be as familiar with Paolo’s art, but you definitely should be.  Doctor Voodoo was a series than never quite got too far off the ground but Paolo’s art was definitely one of the strongest points of that title.  So if you pick up Taskmaster and want to see more of his work, check out the short-lived Doctor Voodoo title in our back issues.

5) San Francisco Panorama Comics Section Tabloid Format

Here’s your chance to see the lauded comics section from last year’s large format publication from McSweeney’s.  The lineup of contributors reads like a who’s who of Indie and Literature comics masters!  Included here are works from Art Spiegelman, Jessica Abel, Chris Ware, Seth, Kim Deitch, Alison Bechdel, Adrian Tomine, Dan Clowes, and the underrated Jon Adams.  And that’s only a handful of the creators present in the book!   The comics section was originally only available as an inclusion in McSweeney’s San Francisco Panorama before going on to be sold as a stand alone comics section through McSweeney’s site.  Now we’re happy to be able to offer it to you in our fine retail establishment.

> Other new releases that I wish I had space to talk about in greater detail: the compilation hardcover of the new Fraggle Rock series, the talented indie artist Julia Wertz‘s new memoir graphic novel, Drinking at the Movies, DC’s new Freedom Fighters series, and the Legendary Talespinners trade paperback.  Do yourselves a favor and go ahead and take a long look at this week’s new releases page.  What a week for new comics!

1) Superman: Secret Origin #6

Though this culminating issue from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank was delayed, I’m happy to let you know that it should arrive today.  While re-imaginings are frequently able to find an audience in our marketplace, this book is an example of one that ventured  beyond the core Superman readership and found its way into the hands of a wide array of readers.  Part of this is largely due to Johns’ understanding of the character, but one can’t ignore the draw of Frank’s eerily accurate Christopher Reeve-inspired artwork.  Issue 6 comes in at 48 pages, so even though some of you have been anxiously waiting on this one take solace in the fact that you’ll get an extra page count for your trouble.

2) Star Wars: Blood Ties – A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett #1

Though the chronology of the numerous Star Wars comics can be intimidating, the Boba Fett comics have been especially accessible over the years.  This new mini series from veteran Star Wars comic creators Tom Taylor and Chris Scalf aims to cash in on the character’s accessibility with a tale that occurs before the Clone Wars and gives a further glimpse into the background of everyone’s favorite bounty hunter.  It should be noted that Scalf’s art on the previously published Star Wars: Purge got a lot of notice, and as in that series the artwork here is fully painted.  Early previews look impressive, so pick up a copy and see what you think.

3) Guarding the Globe #1

Robert Kirkman brings us another side project from the Invincible universe, this time with help from co-writer Benito Cereno and artist Ransom Getty.  This six issue miniseries focuses on the heroes who remain on Earth while Invincible is off-world.  If you know anything about Kirkman or his Image books, you know they sell quickly.  Don’t be surprised if this mini series gradually becomes as hard to find as some of his previous ones.  For fans of Invincible, you might recognize Cereno for his work on previous spinoff miniseries like Atom Eve and Atom Eve and Rex Splode.  Artist Ransom Getty, owner of one of comics coolest names, has an art style that fits in nicely with regular series artist Ryan Ottley.  Kirkman has done a nice job of maintaining a similar look and feel among the books in this corner of his universe, and this new title looks to be a nice addition to his work.  Also new for Invincible fans this week is Science Dog Special #1 which collects the characters backup features that have appeared in Invincible over the years but haven’t been collected in any of the trades.

4)  Superman/Batman #75

From the cover art by Frank Quitely, to the long list of great creators including Paul Levitz, David Finch, Adam Hughes, Joe Kelly, and Duncan Rouleau, this issue offers many reasons to pick it up.  Aside from the main story from Levitz which brings the Legion of Superheroes into present time to team up with Superman and Batman, this issue brings us the first work illustrated and written by David Finch, along with a Supergirl and Batgirl story illustrated and written by Adam Hughes!  The contributions from Finch and Hughes alone should make this issue sell quickly, so make sure you are one of the lucky few who get a copy early.

5) Namor: The First Mutant #1

Spinning out of recent events in the new ongoing X-men series, Namor gets another shot at another ongoing series of his own this week.  This time around writer Stuart Moore and artist Ariel Olivetti bring the new vampire threat to Atlantis in the first storyline.  We can inevitably expect future stories to focus less on the Namor’s recent involvement with the X-men and more on the moral ambiguities we’ve come to expect from character over the years.  The idea that you never know exactly where Namor might stand has always made him unique.  If you couple that with the fact that he’s one of Marvel’s oldest properties, here you have a new series that might be a good prospect for old and new fans of the aquatic character.

Bonus Non-Comic Pick of the Week:

James Jean’s Rift

It’s always a good day when we see another new James Jean product in our store.  The fabled Fables cover artist’s new effort is Rift, a book of postcard-type art that unfolds like an accordion.  While that alone is an interesting packaging idea, what’s even cooler about this particular set of art is that you can overlap certain pieces of the accordion to combine into an even larger picture.  We’ll only have a few of these in store this week, so if you’re interested in this you might be wise to act early.  Also still available is the recently released Fables Comic Cover portfolio which has been in the store for a while but is worth another mention.  This portfolio contains 12 color prints featuring some of Jean’s Fables covers.  Most of these prints are available in the often out-of-print Fables covers hardcover, but the advantage of the portfolio is that you don’t have to destroy your book in order to display the art on your walls.

While there are numerous new superhero titles to check out this week, including several Avengers books and new issues of Brightest Day and Image United, I’ll focus today’s spotlight on two other areas of the store.  So let’s look at five books ranging from a couple of great kids titles, to a couple of genre titles worthy of attention, and a new release in our literature section that I think some of you might enjoy.

1) Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet #1

Marvel had some recent success with their recent kid-friendly adaptation of Secret Wars entitled Spider-man and the Secret Wars.  They build upon that success with this new four-issue all-ages adaptation of the Infinity Gauntlet series.  Brian Clevinger and Brian Churilla are at the reins on this series, and while these two creators have worked on more genre-based stories in the past (like Atomic Robo and the Anchor) they should do a nice job translating the classic Marvel tale for younger readers.  It’s nice to see Marvel focusing more publishing efforts on a younger audience.  Using source material culled from some of their previous stories is a great way of using old properties to pull in new readers.  If a young fan enjoys a series like this, in a few years they may find themselves wanting to read the original story.  That’s the kind of publishing strategy that I can get behind!

2) CBGB #2

We move from a good all ages offering to a new mini-series for a mature audience.  Issue one was one of last month’s favorite issues for several of us on the Heroes staff. Read our new staffer Justin Crouse‘s review of that first issue on our blog to see why this book works.  Grounded in the fabled NYC punk mecca CBGB, this new mini-series takes a look at why the place was so relevant  by telling small stories set in that world.  In the process the creators illustrate how that time and place in New York continues to be relevant to so many writers, artists, and musicians today.  Don’t assume that you have to be a huge punk fan to enjoy this book.  The best thing about this book is that you can value it without necessarily knowing much of anything about punk music or culture. If you look at this series as a kind of historical fiction it’s easy to appreciate it as a set of straightforward stories that are rooted in a very real place.

3) Darkwing Duck #3

It was only a matter of time before Boom! Studios published a series featuring this character, but I’m sure even they were unprepared for how quickly the first two issues would sell.  For those who don’t remember, Darkwing Duck was a newer Disney character that had an animated series in the early – mid 90′s and featured one of animations coolest rogues gallery, including two of the great villain monikers Quackerjack and Liquidator.  Not only does the new title maintain the fun tone set by the cartoon, but its art looks like it was lifted straight out of the old animation!  This is one of my picks for best new kids book of the year and is easily accessible to adult readers as well.  If you’ve got kids or nieces and nephews, this is a book that will be a lot of fun to read to and along with them!

4) The Light #5

The popular mini series from Nathan Edmondson and Brett Weldele wraps up with this issue.  While the plot has been driven by the novel concept of a light-borne virus, Edmondson has done a nice job juxtaposing this genuinely frightening scenario with the nervous relationship between the father and daughter main characters.  Weldele illustrates the horror with an art style akin to Ben Templesmith, which works very well for a story like this one.  For a more detailed look at this series refer to fellow Heroes staffer Jenny Bement‘s recent review on our blog!

5) Set to Sea GN

This week we see the anticipated debut graphic novel from Drew Weing.  Focusing on a poet who winds up spending a life at sea, this graphic novel looks to be a worthy addition to the niche of maritime comics.  In the past several years we’ve seen Sammy Harkham‘s deceptively simple Poor Sailor and Christophe Blain‘s excellent Isaac the Pirate books, and early reviews of Set to Sea have been high in their praise.  So if you’re a fan of pirate or maritime stories or happen to be looking for something new in the literature section of the store, this is one you’ll want to consider.

1) Bone: Tall Tales HC/TP

How can I not start this week’s spotlight with a mention of  new Bone stories from Jeff Smith?  The new Tall Tales collection includes previously released material from Stupid, Stupid Rat-Tails as well as previously published but never collected Bone yarns.  Even better is the fact that in this collection we’ll see brand new Bone stories from Smith and Tom Sniegoski.  This offering should whet our collective appetites until the upcoming Bone: Quest for the Spark illustrated novel, the first in a trilogy of all new material.  All three forthcoming books will be brought to us by Smith and Sniegoski.  If you haven’t read Bone before you immediately should!  There are many reasons it’s as popular as it is among both kids and adults.  Without question, this is one of the books that rightly deserves it’s place in the modern comics canon.

2) Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #1

For the DC fan, here’s a new Green Lantern title featuring Guy Gardner and fellow members of the corps (green and otherwise).  The new series is written by Peter Tomasi, who is currently working on Brightest Day and may be most regarded for his solid contributions to Green Lantern Corps.  Joining on the art front is Fernando Pasarin who has worked for DC for the past few years on titles like Justice Society of America and Outsiders.  This series will document the further changes in Guy Gardner as a result of his actions in the Blackest Night storyline and should be a good jumping on point for those who want to start on the ground floor of what could be a good new DC venture.  Plus, fan-favorite corps member Kilowog is supposed to be a frequent member of the supporting cast, so Kilowog fans unite!

3) Strange Science Fantasy #2

I mentioned the first issue of this series in one of last month’s spotlights and am happy to bring it back to your attention again!  Scott Morse continues his love letter to pop culture, ‘B’ movies, and classic sci-fi and fantasy films and comics with this second issue, which features a character called Shogunaut!  Whereas issue one featured characters and themes inspired by the ’50′s and ’60′s era car culture and its love of hot rods, this month’s issue, if you hadn’t already ascertained from the mention of ‘Shogunaut,’ looks to combine kung fu archetypes and monster movies.  Another reason to pick this title up is the back up feature, again provided this month by the great Paul Pope.

4) Buzzard #3

This issue concludes Eric Powell‘s mini series featuring one of the most enigmatic characters from his Goon series.  This one may have slipped under the radar, but has been a quality read alongside the wonderfully creepy art from Powell that we all know and love.  Don’t think you have to know everything about the Goon books to enjoy this title.  Issue one does a nice job at explaining who this character is and why you should be reading about him.  Buzzard has the look and feel of a classic horror comic or film and works because it isn’t trying to be something it’s not.  You won’t find metaphysical density here, just simple, fun horror comics.  We still have copies of the first two issues so if you’re looking for a worthwhile read, buy all three and have a complete mini series to enjoy!

5) X-Men #2

This one’s for the reader who is keen on mutants and vampires.  ‘X’ titles have featured the undead in the past but now we have a whole series that looks to be devoted to their encounters.  Brought to you by the creative team Victor Gischler and Paco Medina, the new series isn’t set in a parallel universe but should bring about major ramifications for some of the ‘x’ characters for years to come.  Already we’ve seen several previews that feature certain ‘x’ heroes as newly-turned vampires.   This one should sell quickly too, so get it while you can!

>Bonus Pick of the Week: B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth – New World #1

The all star creative team of Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, and Guy Davis bring the bureau into a new era with this new mini series.  With their long story arc centering on the War on Frogs behind them, expect lots of creepy new monsters and apocalyptic threats as only the three creators can provide.  And seeing as it’s a new era for the book, expect developments in the lives of the existing characters and hopefully the introduction of some new ones as well.  Also, congratulations are in order for artist Guy Davis, one of our industry’s nicest folks (and a Heroes Convention staple), for recently passing the 50 issue mark with his work on B.P.R.D. Fifty issues on this title plus he still manages to find time to work on his own creation The Marquis, as well as provide monster designs for books like Solomon Kane.  In an era where many artists leave a title after 4 – 12 issues worth of work, it’s a nice rarity to see an artist provide so much quality art for a single title.  Cheers Guy, and here’s to 50 more great issues!

Here’s a rundown of new books I think you should be aware of in this first week of August.  This week’s spotlight features some local color from a few of our talented Charlotte-area comic creators, which makes this an even better than normal week for all of us at Heroes!  It’s always a good thing when we see our neighbors making quality comics!  For a full listing of today’s new comics be sure to check out the new releases section of our site.   

1) Baltimore: The Plague Ships #1

This is a title I’ve been eagerly awaiting since it was announced.  For those who aren’t familiar with the character, the source material is the illustrated novel Baltimore, Or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, a collaborative effort from Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden.  The novel might have been missed by some, but it’s well worth reading if you can find it.  This comic isn’t an adaptation, but presents a new story that takes place between parts of the novel.  So even if you have read the novel you’ll be getting a whole new episode in the life of the peg-legged vampire hunter in the comic.  We know the whole vampire idea is being overdone lately, but as with American Vampire, Baltimore‘s representation of the undead is much darker than recent incarnations, hearkening back to the classic Stoker novel.  Joining Mignola on the comic are Christopher Golden and artist Ben Stenbeck, who turned in some nice work on Mignola’s other recent character Witchfinder.  Baltimore is a great addition to his ever-expanding comic universe, and if you’re a fan of Hellboy or B.P.R.D. this is a book not to be overlooked.

2) S.H.I.E.L.D. #3

Jonathan Hickman has quickly established himself as one of Marvel’s top writers in just a few short years.  S.H.I.E.L.D. is the rare book that is living up to the hype surrounding it.  What sets this title apart from others is the fact that it takes an interesting starting point, the history of S.H.I.E.L.D., and finds ways of adding depth to the premise that moves it beyond a mere linear exploration of one of Marvel’s classic institutions.  All the while, Hickman and artist Dustin Weaver add historical figures like Galileo and Da Vinci to the story, not just as background characters but as integral movers of the plot.  In this comic, it’s characters like these who defended Earth from cosmic threats like Galactus and the Celestials long before super heroes existed.  If you want to read a truly unique comic that still manages to incorporate elements of super heroes into its telling, read this book if you’re not already.

3) Daredevil: Black and White #1

Marvel has released several of these stand alone issues over the past few years.  What’s great about these books is that you’re not only getting three complete stories for a $3.99 price tag, but there are quality creators behind the stories.  For example, in this book you have the talents of noted writers Peter Milligan and Ann Nocenti, Iron Fist artist David Aja, and Jason Latour, one of our great local comic professionals.  And as the title suggests, all the stories are in stark black and white, which if you’re like me, only adds another reason to purchase.  The previously released Doctor Strange and Master of Kung Fu black and white issues were also excellent, but probably overlooked by many.  Do yourself a favor and remember to look at this new Daredevil issue.

4) Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love TP

The popular Fables spinoff miniseries receives its first trade paperback collection, which binds together the entire six issue run.  Writer Chris Roberson recently added another Vertigo success to his name with his recent iZombie series.  His work on Cinderella is brought to life by veteran artist Shawn McManus, who has worked on a wide range of titles over the years.  And the covers for the series were illustrated by another skilled local comic artist, Chrissie Zullo.  As is the case with many of the best paperback collections, this one is said to contain extras.  It’s like watching a special edition dvd. . .only you’re reading and not really watching.

5) Hawkeye and Mockingbird #3

In the seemingly endless sea of Avengers titles, here’s one that definitely deserves more attention than it’s receiving.  Jim McCann and David Lopez hooked me with their first issue with their good job of capturing the dichotomy between these two characters.  More than that, they brought back the classic version of Hawkeye who simply loves being a super hero.  We haven’t seen that character have fun in a long while.  Regardless of the relationship between the two title characters (once married, then both dead, then both alive), it almost reads like a good cop flick, with Hawkeye filling the gung ho, devil-may-care persona, and Mockingbird being a bit more grounded and technically-minded.  Throw in a few lower level West Coast Avengers villains and suddenly you have a comic that is more fun to read than I expected.

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!

What happens when Hollywood decides to make a film based on one of the hottest comic series in recent years?  Scott Pilgrim vs. the World that’s WHAT! If you’ve followed any news from this past weekend’s San Diego Comic Con, you know Scott Pilgrim was the “Life of the Party!  The few fortunate fans to see the film in San Diego (including creator Bryan Lee O’Malley) were vocal in their praise of the film.  The final volume of the acclaimed graphic novel series SOLD OUT 100,000 copies in less that a week! EVERYBODY wants all the Scott Pilgrim they can get!

This special advanced sneak preview happens tomorrow night, July 28 at 7:00 p.m. That’s over two weeks before the film’s official release date of Friday, August 13!  How might you get one of these golden tickets?  Simply come in to the store today only, purchase all the items in your reserve bag and we’ll happily give you a pass which admits two people. We only have a very limited number of these coveted passes, so first come first serve and one per customer please!   When they’re gone, they’re gone.  If you’re a reserve customer who has already purchased everything in your reserve bag earlier in the week?  Just stop in today and mention that you read about this promotion on the blog, and you too will be on your way to the movies!  Remember, this is a Heroes Online Blog exclusive, and only applicable to our loyal reserve customers! Stop by the store today, grab your pass and see the film tomorrow night!

This week’s spotlight focuses on new releases that are a bit more eclectic than ones previewed in previous weeks.  That said, there are some interesting mainstream titles on sale as well so be sure to check our full listing of this week’s new releases to see what might interest you.  Here are some of my picks for titles to look out for:

1) Fractured Fables HC

This new all-ages anthology comes to us courtesy of Image Comics and features a diverse set of contributors including Jill Thompson, Ben Templesmith, Ted McKeever, and Scott Morse.  With each creator offering their interpretation of classic fairy tales, this one should appeal to kids and adult fans who are familiar with some of the artists more mature efforts.  If you saw the Free Comic Book Day preview title, you know this is going to be a fun book.

2) The Sixth Gun #1 and #2

From Oni Press and creators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt comes the first two issues of a title they debuted at this year’s Free Comic Book Day.  One of the event’s highest regarded offerings, this title has been steadily adding to its buzz in recent months.  With a story set during the Civil War and incorporating supernatural elements, there is something here for fans of both history and horror.  And if you missed the Free Comic Book Day issue, it is reprinted in issue #1, while issue #2 continues the ongoing series.

3) Astonishing Spider-man/Wolverine #2

Another title featuring Spider-man and Wolverine?  Don’t let the fact that these characters appear in numerous books deter you from giving this series a shot.  Jason Aaron has proven in recent years that he writes costumed characters as well as he does the inhabitants of his gritty and consistently brilliant series Scalped.  Adam Kubert is no stranger to illustrating Marvel characters, and has done some good work since returning from his tenure at DC.  What’s most significant about this title to me is that Aaron and Kubert don’t just throw the two characters together without reason.   After years of running into each other in comics, the relationship between these two very different kinds of heroes is explored to good measure and perhaps in greater detail than we’ve previously seen.

4) Strange Science Fantasy #1

When he’s not busy working for Pixar writer/artist Scott Morse crafts beautiful comics.  If you stopped by the Adhouse booth at Heroes Con this year you may have seen Morse cranking out amazing paintings for lucky fans.  His new series is an anthology of sorts, created with a tip of the hat to popular superhero, sci-fi, and fantasy anthologies of the ’60′s.  Online previews of the title make it evident that Morse had a lot of fun creating this book.  And when this new world is inhabited with characters named ‘Shogunaut’ and ‘The Headlight,’  you can see that Morse’s enjoyment in making this book is contagious.

5) Mystery Society #2

This creation of Steve Niles and Ashley Wood is living up to its deserved hype.  Issue one featured one of the protagonists breaking into Area 51, and the re-introduction of Niles’ character the Secret Skull.  With elements of sci-fi, espionage, horror and of course the titular mystery, this book should not only appeal to fans of earlier works from Niles and Wood but  fans of superheros as well.  Artist Fiona Staples proved with issue one that her style works well with Niles’ writing.  She also provided the art for the recent Northlanders #29, which gives you some indication of her range.  I should also mention that we still have copies of Mystery Society #1 available, including the retailer exclusives from around the country that we debuted at Heroes Con.

Since books were delayed this week due to the July 4 holiday, I’ll be spotlighting a few more titles than the average Wednesday.  This is a big week for new books, so check out what I believe to be some of the industry’s best offerings.

1) Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #1

This series not only brings the Young Avengers back into the spotlight but also takes some steps to fix some of the Scarlet Witch’s troubles as of late.  Considering the fact that Young Avengers creators Allan Heinberg and Jimmy Cheung are at the helm of this series, fans of these characters should want to tune in. While the Scarlet Witch has been a problematic character over the past decade, both Heinberg and Cheung have the chops to get her back to relevance in the Marvel Universe.

2) Batman: The Odyssey #1

Neal Adams, one of comics early proponents of realism, returns to a character he left an indelible mark upon in years past.  Aside from the fact that the series is said to feature Adams’ take on an array of classic bat villains, it should be noted that the first issue weighs in at a hefty 40 pages.  And did I mention Neal is writing this series to accompany his trademark illustrations?  It’s nice to see him taking the reins of a character like this again.

3) The Playwright 

With his groundbreaking work on From Hell and Alec, artist Eddie Campbell cemented his place in comics history.  But in recent years with The Fate of the Artist, The Black Diamond Detective Agency and The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard, Campbell has continued to churn out quality books.  In The Playwright, Campbell reunites with writer Daren White to tell the story of a celibate, middle aged man and the intertwining arcs of his personal and artistic lives.  This one’s not for kids but is a must read for the literary-minded comic reader.  I had the good fortune to read this book a few weeks ago and it has already earned a place on my ‘Best of 2010′ list.

4) Thor: The Mighty Avenger #1

It’s no secret that the Heroes staff loves the work of Roger Langridge.  Chances are, many customers already know this as several of us regularly discuss  The Muppet Show and Fred the Clown.  While I’m excited to read Langridge’s take on all things Asgard, I must admit that I’m equally anxious to see artist Chris Samnee‘s rendition of Thor hammering away at giants and monsters.  After his recent work on DC’s sleeper hit The Mighty and the Vertigo crime graphic novel Area 10, Samnee’s proven himself a talented and capable artist.  Early previews of his work on Thor suggests that this could very well be the work of his career (up to this point).

5)  Scarlet #1

Brian Michael Bendis has clearly had his hands full running the Avengers corner of the Marvel Universe for several years. Taking note of this effort, I’m excited to see his first creator owned series since Powers.  Fans of Bendis’ grittier fare like Jinx and Torso will want to take a look at Scarlet, another collaboration with artist Alex Maleev.  Following in the vein of the aforementioned titles, Scarlet is said to be a return to Bendis’ crime and noir roots.  And while some of you might miss this duo’s collaboration on the recent Spider-woman series, this should be a nice alternative for you to check out.

6) Shadowland #1:

Andy Diggle and Billy Tan spearhead the new Marvel event focusing on Daredevil’s recent turn to the dark side.  Spidey, Cage, Iron Fist, Moon Knight, the Punisher, and other city-based heroes also appear in what could be an book that has fallen under the radar of some readers. Expect to encounter a more violent Daredevil than you are used to with major ramifications for the character to be felt for some time.

7)  Steve Rogers: Super Soldier: #1

While the original Cap is leading the current Secret Avengers and still making appearances in the primary Captain America title, here’s your chance to read a solo Steve Rogers series.  Writer Ed Brubaker has already proven his skill at writing Rogers but it’ll be nice to see artist Dale Eaglesham‘s rendition of the character in his new role as Marvel’s top cop.

Bonus Pick of the Week: Casanova #1

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the re-release of Casanova under Marvel’s Icon Imprint.  The quirky book with story by Matt Fraction and art by Gabriel Ba receives new color art from Cris Peter, as well as new lettering courtesy of our old compatriot Dustin Harbin.  In addition to awing at Dharbin’s penmanship skills, take note that the book also includes a new short story from Fraction and other regular series artist Fabio Moon.

In Shawn’s absence, I’ll be contributing my thoughts on new releases you should know about, all via the magic of Heroes Online!

1) Batman Beyond #1

DC brings the popular animated version of a future Batman to comics in his own six issue mini series.  Writer Adam Beechen and artist Ryan Benjamin reintroduce young Batman Terry McGinnis and his aged mentor Bruce Wayne, along with a future version of a recent bat villain whose name rhymes with ‘Mush.’  All this and a nice cover by the great Dustin Nguyen, who can make any version of Batman look amazing.

2) Secret Avengers #2

Issue one seemed to surprise a lot of readers with how concisely it unfolded.  Writer Ed Brubaker delivered a promising start to this series by immediately placing the new team on their first mission.  In the process, he managed to address some questions readers had regarding the presence of characters like Nova, Valkyrie, and Moon Knight on a Steve Rogers directed team.  If you were ever curious about how the Avengers might act as an espionage unit, this is worth checking out.  This book is turning out to be an unlikely but appropriate effort between Brubaker, artist Mike Deodato, and a seemingly unrelated cast of heroes.

3) Green Arrow #1

Writer J.T. Krul and artist Diogenes Neves pick up where Justice League: Cry for Justice left off, with Oliver Queen in exile mode as he lives out his Robin Hood fantasy in a real live forest!  In spite of his isolation, I’m betting he still gets the chance to shoot arrows at bad guys, though.  Fans of earlier darker themed Green Arrow stories from the Mike Grell period will probably want to check this series out.

4) Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plain #1

Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, and artist Peter Snejbjerg kick off a new Abe two part series set in the early ’80′s.  With mermaids, underwater ghouls, and a mystical helmet, this series should be as entertaining as we’ve come to expect from this corner of Dark Horse.  You can’t really go wrong reading anything in the Mignola-verse, in my humble opinion.  And if you needed another reason to take a look at this one, there’s a great cover by the talented Dave Johnson.

5) Wonder Woman #600

Sure to be a controversial issue, the internet’s already buzzing with opinions on Wonder Woman’s first new costume change in a long while (courtesy of new DC co-publisher Jim Lee).  Regardless of your opinion on that, there are a lot of good contributors to this issue.  Alongside notable Wonder Woman artists George Perez, Phil Jimenez, and Adam Hughes, this issue boasts contributions from the likes of Amanda Conner, Geoff Johns, Scott Kolins, Louise Simonson, and new writer J. Micheal Straczynski, who kicks off his run on the title right here.