Hi, I’m Heather, long time reader and first time contributor to the Heroes Blog. You may recognize me from the Info Booth at HeroesCon or from my photography here on the blog and Flickr.  You may have also seen me around the store with my new husband, Seth Peagler, Heroes’ Warehouse Manager. I’ll be digging through all the goodness that is the Previews Catalog bringing you things that the staff and I think look interesting .

B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth: The Pickens County Horror #1: Dark Horse brings us a new chapter in the paranormal agency’s fight against evil with this two part mini-series.  Vampires have been notably absent in the world of Hellboy, and this title will reveal their history focusing on a Gothic Southern clan dealing with the fallout of hell on Earth.  With covers by Becky Cloonan and Mike Mignola this scary title is co-written by Mignola and Scott Allie.  Even better, Charlotte’s own Jason Latour is the interior artist!  (page 34-35)

Fairest #1: While one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Adam Hughes’ wraparound cover is so full of beauty that it alone is enough to entice many readers.  Writer and creator Bill Willingham introduces a new series in the popular Fables universe focusing on the women of the fairy tale world.  With art by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning, the first arc focuses on Briar Rose with promised arcs centering on other characters like Rapunzel and Snow White to follow. (page 140 as well as the front cover) (more…)

Just a Planetar-reminder that the Heroes Discussion Group will meet this Saturday January 7th at 1:00pm to discuss Planetary– Warren Ellis and John Cassaday’s magnum opus of superhero archetypes and the team that investigates them.

As usual there are a myriad of topics to discuss, the two that come to mind first are:

Why make villains out of the 4? What does it say about–well, everything?

and

How much of the narrative is serious storytelling and how much is a self-parody?  And does it really matter?

I’d also like to discuss colorista extraordinaire and Heroescon regular Laura Martin and how her contributions affect the story-telling.

So remember, bring an open-mind and your sweet-tooth (if we end up at the bakery).

And as usual: All of the Planetary volumes including the enormous, beautiful omnibusseses  are available from Heroes with the 10% Discussion Group Discount.  As usual, be sure to mention the discount to your clerk as they are ringing up your order.

If superhero books in 2011 largely focused on both sweeping company-wide changes and numerous relaunches, what can we say about indie and genre books of the recently past year?  A few years ago the industry was rightly blown away by the genius work of David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp.  2011 didn’t necessarily have a single book that was hands down an instant classic, but if you had to choose one book that impacted the industry, it was Love and Rockets: New Stories volume 4.  Jaime Hernandez has been telling the story of Maggie and her friends in real time for over 30 years, always entertaining us with how he has chosen to develop his characters, always impressing us with his ever-focused art.  Volume 4 was one of the first times I can remember where creators and fans were open about how emotionally moved they were by a comic.  This is a tribute to Hernandez’s ability to tell stories that are not only practical and appropriate, but also unafraid to themselves be actively emotional in an unforced way.  If you’ve not experienced Love and Rockets before, you are doing yourself a great disservice.  This is genuinely one of the finest comics of 2011.

Elsewhere in “Indie” books of 2011 we saw the long awaited release of Craig Thompson’s Habibi.  A book nearly 8 years in the making, Habibi was a powerful statement from an artist who has spent his career constantly pushing his own boundaries and the boundaries of the comics form.  Standing tall at over 650 pages, Habibi exemplifies the work of a still hungry artist who is not content to fall into repeating patterns.  While Habibi was rightly controversial, any person would be hard pressed to walk away from reading the book without a greater sense of respect for Thompson as a creator and the potential of comics as a whole.

Unlike Thompson, Dan Clowes is an artist who has regularly released new comics every few years.  2011 was one of Clowes’ most prolific years to date.  Following up 2010′s acclaimed Wilson, Clowes offered up Mister Wonderful, which can be seen as a bookend of sorts to Wilson, or perhaps the flip side of the Wilson coin.  In addition to Mister Wonderful, Clowes released a deluxe, expanded version of his classic The Death-Ray, which contains one of the most interesting explorations of the superhero genre we’ve seen from a non-superhero artist.

Big Questions was finally released in a single format this past year.  Collecting all ten years and 600+ pages of work from Anders Nilsen, Big Questions is a great example of an artist’s development over a decade.  It’s also one of modern comics finest examples of the employment of fable as a commentary on humanity.  Nilsen’s magnum opus was always well received as it was released in single issue format, but there’s something about seeing and experiencing the completed book in a single published volume that makes you realize how significant the book is to comics of the past decade.

On the non-Indie genre side of things, one of the biggest stories of 2011 was the success of AMC’s Walking Dead t.v. series.  What does a t.v. show have to do with comics in 2011?  Suffice to say, the television adaptation and reworking of Image’s Walking Dead comic brought lots of new readers into comic shops, many undoubtedly for the first time.  I’m still surprised when someone comes into the store to buy a gift for a niece or nephew, sees a Walking Dead collection, and remarks ‘Wow, they made a comic of the show?’  Numerous people who realized the comics came first have subsequently made return trips to the store to continue reading Robert Kirkman’s monthly comics.  The Walking Dead phenomenon has brought up some interesting prospects for television and comics, and how the two mediums can work together to inform new audiences.

One of 2011′s other significant genre happenings had to be Mike Mignola’s decision to kill off his ever popular character Hellboy.  While Hellboy will continue in 2012 in the Mignola-penned and illustrated “Hellboy in Hell” storyline, the creator has spoken about how important it is to allow characters and stories to develop, change, and grow over time.  He has always made a point of stating that when characters in his books die, they stay dead.  It’s a testament to Mignola that he works hard to eschew creative stagnation by allowing ideas and themes to run their course.  One need only look at Mignola’s numerous other properties like B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, and the Amazing Screw On Head to see that his work always operates within this dictum.  Fans have been clamoring for more Amazing Screw On Head stories,but he won’t make them because he feels that he already achieved what he hoped to within the one book.  These books are also exemplary of how Mignola surrounds himself with quality storytellers and lets the characters progress in their natural state.  When a creator cares more about staying true to his characters and stories than he does about regurgitating material, the industry is all the better for it.

As with my post about superhero comics in 2011, there were just far too many indie and genre books to talk about here.  Many others made a big impact on readers and the industry as a whole.  So, what indie and genre books from 2011 really impressed you?  Did you discover a new creator whose works you’ve gone on to seek out?  With 2012 just starting, are there any big indie or genre books coming out this year that you’re excited about?  This is your blog too, and we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy New Year to all of our customers and readers from all of us at Heroes!  We wish you all happiness and success in 2012.  There’s a nice variety of new titles hitting stands this week, and here’s just a few to consider in your shopping.

1) Fatale #1

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have spent the last few years turning out some of the industry’s best crime comics.  With Criminal and Incognito the duo have proven themselves the go-to creative team for all things noir.  Their new book Fatale continues to add to their crime catalogue, but also features some decidedly Lovecraftian horror elements.  How exactly mobsters and monsters will work in the same series is just one of the many reasons to give this book a try.

2) Wolverine and the X-men: Alpha and Omega #1

If you’ve been enjoying Wolverine and the X-men, this first of five issues delves further into the relationship between Headmaster Wolverine and his most troublesome student, Quentin Quire.  Aside from this being a miniseries that makes sense, fans will want to be aware that this issue marks writer Brian Wood’s return to Marvel after several years working at Vertigo.  Also on hand are talented artists like Roland Boschi and HeroesCon staple Mark Brooks.

3) Mudman #2

Paul Grist is one of those cartoonists who not only impresses with his keen sense of visual storytelling, but also with his fine writing.  Mudman is his latest original story, and is the another example of his fine comics work.  His previous work on Kane focused more on the crime genre, and Jack Staff, while a variation on the superhero genre, was also a love letter to pulp and adventure stories.  Mudman is firmly grounded in the bizarre origin, costume-wearing superhero, and is as entertaining as one might expect from this talented creator.

4) Goon #37

Eric Powell returns with another issue of his inimitable supernatural romp.  Among other things, this issue features a girdle factory fire, an out of control taco cart, and a monstrous union buster.  In a story that may be as subversively relevant as it is entertaining, Powell gives us yet another example of why he’s a favorite of so many readers and fellow creators.

5) Keep Our Secrets Board Book

This latest children’s book from respected cartoonist Jordan Crane tells the tale of two kids wandering around their house and finding all sorts of things they’d never seen before.  Young readers will love the book’s color changing, heat sensitive ink, which allows them to find hidden images just by rubbing the ink.  Like his earlier book The Clouds Above, plenty of adult readers will also enjoy Crane’s imaginative storytelling and artistry.

6) Annotated Sandman HC vol. 1

Ever want to read Neil Gaiman’s Sandman but felt intimidated by the endless amounts of references it contains?  You’re not alone, and even if you have read the book its density is more than a little much to take at times.  The Annotated Sandman contains the first twenty issues of the acclaimed series and is a panel by panel examination of the numerous historical and literary references within the book.  Not only do you get to read the comics themselves, but you get to see a detailed analysis of Gaiman’s multilayered approach to storytelling.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Fear Itself HC, Peanuts #1, Animal Man #5, Avengers: X-sanction #2, Defenders #2, Swamp Thing #5, B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth vol. 2: Gods and Monsters.

Santa must have been some-what disillusioned or at the very least pre-occupied this Holiday season, because I landed quite an unexpected haul this year.  My stocking runneth over with all kinds of comic book goodies.  Here is a just a brief summation of my first official time on the Nice List:

Marvel Masterworks The Inhumans Volume 1– a gorgeous reprinting of the Lee/Kirby Inhumans back-up series for Thor, followed by the short but fabulous Kirby and then Neal Adams(!) runs from the gone-but not-forgotten Amazing Adventures.

The Late, Great Joe Simon.

Simon and Kirby Library: The Superheroes-- this book– by itself– is a must have for all comic fans, The complete Fighting American, 3-D man and Stuntman (whoa!) are worth the price of admission.  But my copy was signed by the late, great Joe Simon, by our pal and series editor Steve Saffel (Happy Birthday, Steve!) and also by Neil Gaiman who wrote the Intro. Dang–I hope Santa isn’t on the Heroes mailing list because if he reads this he will realize his mistake and make a surprise January visit to replace this gem with some socks or maybe a nice scarf.

The 50 Greatest Cartoons of all-time.  This book is the result of a poll taken by over 1000 professional cartoonists.  It is a great book!  I have spent the last few days scouring Netflix and amazon in search of these celluloid classics. (#1 is What’s Opera, Doc)   Thank God that Heroes is the kind of Comic Shop that offers a variety of books like this in addition to their ample stock of Usual Suspects!

An Iron Man Spatula from Williams-Sonoma.  It makes Waffles that have Zero Trans(istor) Fats. Also, Captain America/Spider-man/Hulk Head cookies from Sur Le Table. My wife (a civilian!) claims all three cookie heads tasted the same, but I know the Cap Cookies were the tastiest!)

Christmas is always so much more fun when you get Comic related gifts!

So my question for Heroes United (sounds like a Soccer team doesn’t it?) is–

Share with us:  What did you get this Uncanny X-mas???

It recently dawned on me that I’ve written almost every Spotlight on New Releases column since July of 2010.  That’s almost a year and 1/2 of writing about new comics every week for readers of our Heroes Blog.  The biggest lesson I’ve gleaned from this experience is the idea that as a comics reader and critic it’s really important to maintain one’s joy and passion for our industry and hopefully encourage the same in our readers and customers.

Every week there are hundreds of books released, and there won’t always be something groundbreaking or revolutionary hitting the stands.  However, there are always books throughout a given month that entertain us or encourage us to think beyond the scope of our personal experience.  As readers it’s no crime to comment on things we wish were better in comics.  In fact, if you’ve been reading a title or following a character for a few decades, you have a lot invested in comics and should speak your mind.  Let’s remember that we all participate in a truly unique medium where on a weekly basis the opportunity still exists for us to be reminded of the inherent joy that exists within the pages of a comic book.  So with that thought, here are a few things about DC and Marvel comics in 2011 that I believe warrant reflection.

It would be wrong to talk about 2011 without first mentioning the DC reboot.  A gamble on many fronts, DC really took a chance when they decided to restart all of their titles.  The reality of the situation is that DC needed to do something different to try to increase their sales after years of turning in numbers behind Marvel.  They did garner lots of national media coverage for their event, and we did see many new faces excited about comics find their way into our store.  There have already been some concerns about how DC would be maintaining the quality and regularity of creative teams and storylines, but that’s to be expected.  Like it or not, the company did manage to refurbish some of their properties, and whether or not you agree with the strategy or enjoy some of the books, some really entertaining comics were produced.  In Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, Justice League brought two fan favorite creators to the biggest of books and did so with a wide-reaching effect. Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman reminded many of us that this is a character who deserves to have talented creators working hard to tell her stories, and that when they do, good comics are inevitable.  Other books like Animal Man and Swamp Thing found a nice balance between horror and mainstream comics, and continue to build toward memorable stories.  The goal for everyone is to see DC do well, have strong creators on titles, and bring in new readership.  If this happens, everyone can benefit.

Marvel Comics had a bit of an unusual year.  DC clearly grabbed the most headlines for their reboot, but Marvel always seems to have a longterm plan, and certainly has multiple film properties to capitalize upon.  Like DC they offered up several new #1 issues with the goal of reaching new readership.  In some cases, as with Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Marcos Martin’s Daredevil #1, Marvel found a solid creative team who managed to tell some great stories by steering the character away from his typical grim and gritty fare, and back toward some of his more swashbuckling roots.  No, this isn’t a reinvention of the wheel, but it is a good, fun comic that more and more readers are starting to enjoy.

Marvel probably grabbed their biggest headlines with their controversial decision to kill of the Ultimate version of Peter Parker/Spider-man.  Regardless of what you think of this decision, the idea that they then introduced a new Spider-man who might reach a wider range of readers is an exciting prospect.  If comics can’t reach a new, young readership base then the industry will continue to change in increasingly dramatic ways over the next decade.  The effort to gain new readers is also a reason for this year’s breaking of the X-men into two separate schools of thought.  With a lineup in Uncanny X-men consisting of darker, more villainous characters like Magneto, Namor, Emma Frost, and a Juggernaut-powered Colossus, and a younger, more lively bunch of mutants being headmastered by Wolverine in Wolverine and the X-men, Marvel has offered up two distinct X books for readers with very different sensibilities.  The latter has also given us some of the year’s most entertaining superhero comics, and has offered writer Jason Aaron an opportunity to explore a different kind of book than he has previously written.  By the same token, with Uncanny X-force Marvel has maintained and grown a steadfast audience for a mutant-centric book that doesn’t quite read or look like X-titles of the past.

Whatever you might take away from comics in 2011, it’s worth noting that like with almost anything in art there can be strong, entertaining possibilities if you look hard enough.  If you find a comic that moves you or offers up great escapism, support it by buying it and encouraging your friends to give it a try.  If you’re unhappy with a book you might have read for a long time, don’t be afraid to put it down for awhile and look for something new.  There are plenty of  books well worth your time and money.  The important thing to me is that we all do our best to try to be positive about our industry, encourage new readership, and support writers and artists who are focused on producing quality comics.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg.  Both companies had plenty more worth mentioning this year, and we’d like to hear from you about what you think.  What DC or Marvel books really impressed you this year?  What book did you buyon a whim and then proceed to pick up every month thereafter?  What are some things in 2012 that you’d like to see, or might be looking forward to?

2011: What a great year for the Heroes Discussion Group! In one ten month period February to November, we tackled Death of Speedy, Sandman: Endless Nights, Ghost World, Superman Earth One, Parker: The Outfit, Wednesday Comics, Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love, Daytripper and Jimmy Corrigan!  It’s hard for me to to pick a personal favorite discussion but (after review) I am leaning towards the afternoon that Jimmy Corrigan reared his round head.

So, how do we start 2012?  On the weekend of the Feast of the Epiphany, let’s do the those star following Magi one better than Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh by presenting 4 gifts–The entire four volume Planetary by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday.  This is a book that creates some serious division amongst comic readers.

Many love Ellis’ work; many do not.

A large number of readers are intrigued by the conceit behind Planetary; some view it as an attack on some of our beloved superhero archetypes.

But there is more than one way to approach this world that Ellis and Cassaday have carefully constructed?

So, there is only one thing to do–talk about it.  I promise you this; it is an exciting read; even if your feathers get a bit ruffled, Planetary is certainly worth your time.

Serving Suggestion: Perhaps Planetary can be approached as a 20th Century Superhero take on  the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  (And that incredible art alone is worth the price of admission).  Please plan to join us on Saturday January 7th at 1:00pm as we will tackle all four volumes of Planetary.  After the discussion, we want to hear your recommendations for the 2012 Discussion groups.  All of the Planetary volumes (including the enormous, beautiful omnibi (I know, I know)) are available from Heroes with the 10% Discussion Group Discount.  As usual, be sure to mention the discount to your clerk as they are ringing up your order.

We can’t wait to see you!

1) Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #8

With the recent announcement of Marvel’s big 2012 event being Avengers vs. X-men, look for this 9 issue series to increase its popularity in the coming months.  Aside from the fact that this series features Avengers, X-men, and the Young Avengers, its return of Scarlet Witch to prominence will undoubtedly play a role in next year’s event.  Allen Heinberg and Jimmy Cheung are also apparently killing an Avenger in this issue, which may be yet another instigator in the upcoming conflict between the heroes.

2) Shaky Kane’s Monster Truck GN

I first came across Shaky Kane’s name reading Eddie Campbell’s excellent Alec series.  At that point it was just a name associated with an artist whose work I hadn’t seen.  Then, last year fellow Heroes staffer Justin Crouse recommended a book called the Bulletproof Coffin by David Hine and one Shaky Kane.  To my surprise the art was a strange combination of surreality, psychedelia, and clearly the product of a fan of Silver Age comics.  This week’s Monster Truck is another fine example of this captivating artist.  Spread out over the 50 page continuous single panel are an assortment of American pop culture bits including zombies, killer clowns, car-sized insects, dinosaurs, monsters, and classic cars.  It’s also quite poetic in a strange, quirky way.

3) Justice League Dark #4

There have been quite a few customers who have mentioned how much they’re enjoying this tale of supernatural Justice Leaguers.  For those who might not like the more mainstream of DC’s 52 titles, this one might be a good one for you to pick up.  Following the exploits of darker characters like John Constantine, Deadman, Zatanna, Madame Xanadu, and Shade the Changing Man, this title benefits from veteran Vertigo writer Peter Milligan, as well as the appropriately horror-tinged art of Mikel Janin.  To top it all off, they get a great cover from artist Ryan Sook every issue.

4) X-men: Schism HC

Wisely, Marvel decided to release a collection of this popular minseries before the end of the year.  Teaming writer Jason Aaron with talented artists like Frank Cho, Adam Kubert, Daniel Acuna, and Carlos Pacheco, this hardcover not only collects the entire 5 issue series chronicling the schism between Wolverine and Cyclops, but also contains Generation Hope #10-11, and the X-men: Regenesis one shot that led directly into the new Uncanny X-men and Wolverine and the X-men series.  Plus, you get almost 225 pages in a hardcover format for considerably less than you would if you were to purcase all the single issues contained in this book.

5) Chase TP

Readers over recent years have really responded to the dynamic art of J.H. Williams III.  If you’re only familiar with his work on books like Batwoman, Promethea, and Detective Comics, this week DC collects one of his popular series from the olden days of the 1990s.  This title was interesting in that it focused on a shady government organization that monitored superheroes, while allowing it all to be seen through the eyes of one of the agents who began to develop strange abilities of her own.  In addition to collecting the entire Chase series, included here are also lots of other Chase appearances from that time.  Over 350 pages of comics for under $30!

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Aquaman #4, Captain America # 5 AND 6, Flash #4, Kick Ass 2 #6, Batman: The Dark Knight #4, Walt and Skeezix HC vol. 5, and Spaceman #3.

It’s Christmas week here at Heroes and we’re all working hard to make sure you have lots of comics to enjoy as we wrap up 2011.  Here are just a few of the books that will hit stands this Wednesday.  All of us at Heroes hope you and yours have a blessed holiday season.

1) Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes #1

This 80 page oneshot from Grant Morrison, Chris Burnham, and Cameron Stewart picks up right where the acclaimed Batman Incorporated series left off.  Not only should this issue answer several unanswered questions left from that series, but it’s said to finally reveal the true identity of the mysterious Leviathan.

2) Wolverine and the X-men #3

This series continues to deliver solid, enjoyable comics that seem to be giving X-men fans lots to be happy with, like an amped up Iceman, fun new characters like a Brood student and Kid Gladiator, and the new Hellfire Club running amok with their very own Wendigo and Sauron!  If you haven’t already, pick up the first three issues this week and you’re guaranteed to have some great comics to read over the holiday weekend.  Kudos to Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo for making the X-men fun again.

3) Wonder Woman #4

Why not talk one more time this year about the comics bliss that is Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman?  Equal parts horror, mythology, and super hero tale, the talented pair have delivered one of the best comics of DC’s 52 relaunch.  Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with the work of Cliff Chiang before you meet him at the Charlotte MiniCon.  Aside from having a broad catalog of comics work, Cliff always delivers quality art on whatever book he illustrates.  Wonder Woman is just another example of that.

4) Tales Designed to Thrizzle #7

Michael Kupperman returns with the latest volume of his hilarious comic.  Riding high off the critical acclaim he received for this year’s Mark Twain’s Autobiography1910-2010, in this issue Kupperman offers up stories like Saint Peter Comics, Hamanimal, Reservoir Dogs 2, and Twain and Einstein.  Kupperman’s one of the best when it comes to solid comics storytelling, nice line work, and abounding humor.

5) Uncanny X-force #19

Rarely do you get a chance to read two new issues of a title two weeks in a row, so if you’re an X-force fan, take advantage of it this week.  Rick Remnder kicks off the next chapter of X-force with a new direction, new members, and the debut of new artist Robbi Rodriguez, who is sure to garner attention for his work on this book.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Lady Mechanika #3, Tony Millionaire’s 500 Portraits, Activity #1, Fantastic Four #601, Sergio Aragones’ Funnies #6, Batman #4, Jubilee by Robert Kirkman TP, and Art of Joe Jusko HC.

So what are the two best comic books on the market today? How the heck should I know? I only read a handful of monthly titles.  However, there are two that are out and about that you may not be reading, but you really, really should!

First up is SNARKED by our good friend from down-under (that’s New Zealand, not Greenville) Roger Langridge. This is an on-it’s-head retelling of the adventures of the Walrus and the Carpenter characters from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. In addition to being a well paced, fun, exciting comic adventure–it has something to do with a missing King, an eight year old Queen and of course, a map! Langridge is a master craftsman who is incapable of drawing a panel without adding a ton of funny details. Even the letter page is a hoot-and-a-half.  The Walrus is the best comic scoundrel since J. Wellington Wimpy and believe me, that is saying something! You’ve been hearing us rave about Roger for years. If you missed his version of The Muppets, or his Fin Fang Foom or his vastly underrated Thor the Mighty Avenger, please give SNARKED a try. You won’t be sorry.

As a cartoonist, Langridge is a tough act to follow, but I know of one other cartoonist who can. Sergio Aragonés, the man responsible for MAD Marginals and of course Groo the Wanderer, displays all of his comic talents in the monthly Sergio Aragonés Funnies. This is a great comic artist still in his prime. Each issue is packed with jokes, skits, puzzles and some surprisingly moving stories from his rather picaresque past. Five issues have been published so far and I can’t tell you which is my favorite.  It is a five way tie for first! You can pick up any issue and read it in any order. Please do so, you will be glad you did.

PS–Did I mention that Sergio will be at HeroesCon 2012?? To quote Syndrome (arch enemy of The Incredibles) “Oho man, this is just too good!”