JUSTIN’S PICK :: 47 RONIN HC: No, this isn’t a movie adaptation; rather, it’s yet another variation on Japan’s “national legend”, which has actual, historical basis. Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson – who has a healthy, long-running fascination with the Land of the Rising Sun and its culture – pens this particular take, with the art deftly handled by Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai.

Currently the Comic Art Professional Society auctioning some great art donated by many industry giants and friends of Stan to help offset health care costs for his ailing wife Sharon. Stan is well-respected in the industry for his dedication to and consistency of craft (he also letters Groo; if that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is). If you’ve never picked up an Usagi book, well, there’s one solid recommendation. 47 Ronin is another. Help a brother out.

ANDY’S PICK :: AIRBOY OMNIBUS VOLUME 1: Back in the late eighties when I was buying 40 to 50 floppies per month, one title surprisingly leapt to the top of my new comics pile every time a new issue was released.  And that was Eclipse Publishing’s update of the Golden Age aviator classic Airboy.  I bought the first issue (published on a bold Bi-weekly schedule) because I was sure Airboy #1– along with every other premiere issue that came out– would one day make me independently wealthy (sigh) But from that first issue on, with a fast paced exciting story by Chuck Dixon and incredible art by Tim Truman, Stan Woch, Tom Yeates and  inker Willie Blyberg, I was hooked.  I read it faithfully all the way to the last issue and was sorry to see Airboy (and the rest of Eclipse) disappear over that last horizon. But now it’s back! This hefty edition– 308 color pages for only 29.95! collects Airboy #1-16–including the terrific Skywolf back-up series that begins in issue 9.  BTW–Skywolf is the Man!

JUSTIN’S PICK :: THE AUTEUR #1: If you’re one of those people who loves comics but loathes their self-imposed limitations, this is a book for you. An unclassifiable offering, writer Rick Spears weaves a mesmerizingly slimy portrayal of La-La Land, while James Callahan crafts art that’s somewhere between John Waters and Geof Darrow. Both Spears and Callahan will be guests at this year’s Heroes Con; pick up The Auteur so you can tell these fine gents what a bang-up job they did.

HEATHER’S PICK :: WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN #1: Marvel only made me wait a week to jump into the new Wolverine and the X-Men! Jason Latour takes the helm this week to guide some of my favorite mutants to graduation and beyond.  I’m especially curious to see what lies in store for Quentin Quire, who unexpectedly graduated in the WATXM #42.  Latour has shown that he has a good handle on Quire when he was the writer on the Captain America/Quentin Quire team up in A+X #4.  It also looks like both Doop and the bamfs will have some entertaining roles.

Mahmud Asrar is the artist on the new WATXM and what I have seen so far looks amazing.  I think the students of the Jean Grey School are in good hands.

ANDY’S PICK :: OZ HC: EMERALD CITY OF OZ: Have you been reading the adaptations of the L. Frank Baum OZ books from writer Eric Shanower and artist Skottie Young?  They are a genuine delight and they are also a textbook for successful comic adaptations.  Shanower and Young maintain the integrity and spirit of the source material but still manage to put their personal stamp on Baum’s enduring creations.  All 6 of their OZ collaborations are worth your time and money, but I have to say,I find this final story (at least for the foreseeable future) to be the best of the bunch.  The Emerald City of OZ focuses on Dorothy;s family.  Because of financial problems in the real world, she brings her parents/guardians Aunt Em and Uncle Henry to live in OZ.  The enchanted and overwhelmed Kansas couple take a grand tour of OZ with Dorothy and the Wizard while unbeknownst to all, the nefarious Nome King plots to have his army invade  the Emerald City. Can the Scarecrow, Glinda the Good and OZMA the really GOOD save the day?  You’ll just have to read this marvelous story to find out.  This HC edition collects EMERALD CITY OF OZ #1-5.  You will read it over and over!

SETH’S PICK :: MOON KNIGHT #1: Moon Knight has often been treated as a multiple-personality-laden Batman of sorts.  While the jumbled nature of the guy under the mask is intriguing, I’ve always been partial to the character’s horror elements.  With this new relaunch, the creative team of Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire seem poised to integrate both elements of the odd character for new readers.  Though you might not initially recognize the character’s new look (white business suit sans the cape), you’ll no doubt remember that Ellis does still occasionally write solid comics for Marvel.  The fantastic Nextwave series jumps to mind.  And it’s worth noting that Shalvey and Bellaire, though they’ve already made names for themselves in their respective areas of comic making, do seem to have an opportunity to take their storytelling to interesting new places with this character.  I should also mention that this book has been building advanced buzz in recent weeks.  Don’t be surprised if this one sells out quickly.

Bonus Pick: Muppets Omnibus: Over the years on this blog I’ve written at length about the genius of Roger Langridge.  While his Fred the Clown will always be my favorite, his work on the Muppets is downright joyous.  Aside from being genuinely funny throughout, Langridge’s art is impeccable.  This summer he’ll be returning to HeroesCon, so do yourself a favor and stop by his table to bask in the awe of his original art pages.  Like me, you’ll probably wind up spending your money on several of his incredible pages.  

RICO’S PICK :: MEGAGOGO VOLUME 1:  This week’s Megagogo by Wook Jin Clark is the first in a series of original graphic novels set in a world populated by giant robots, aliens and ATLiens, super-powered martial artists and more. You’ll be asking yourself questions like, “Could Voltron defeat the KKK?” Hop on board with this OGN and find out!

HEATHER’S PICK :: WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN #42: When I first read that Wolverine and the X-Men was ending at issue #42, I had a moment of panic.  Was Marvel really cancelling my favorite book (again*)? WATXM has been my gateway into the X-Men.  Prior to, I had only read Joss Whedon’s run on Astonishing X-Men and quit reading when he quit writing.  WATXM was originally in Seth’s stack of comics, but by the second issue in it was now firmly in my stack each month.

I’m also happy to know that the story of the Jean Grey School doesn’t end here and WATXM will return with a new number one issue next month with a new Jason at the helm.  Latour, you have big beard to fill!

*I loved Thor the Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee so very much.

Have you seen all the Trailers for The Great Muppet Heist?  It looks like it will be one of the funniest movies of the year. To celebrate this event– in the tradition of The Handbook of the Marvel Universe (but less dry and much more fun!), Disney/Muppets/Lucas/ESPN in association with every subsidiary that has slipped my mind,  proudly presents The Muppets Character Encyclopedia.  From the pages I’ve seen in preview, this book guarantees to be a reading riot and offers some fun backstory for many of the secondary (but still beloved) characters like the Swedish Chef and Gonzo’s girlfriend Camilla the Chicken.  This is a must-have for any fans of the Muppets.

Jason’s Pick :: Superior Foes of Spider-Man TP Vol. 1: Getting the Band Back Together: Say hello to the best book you haven’t been reading. It’s easy to dismiss Superior Foes as a cash grab to capitalize on the popularity of Dan Slott’s Superior Spider-Man title, but this book really has nothing to do with its parent title outside of the name. Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber have taken a handful of Spider-Man’s C-list foes and crafted a dark comic look into the lives of those on the wrong side of the law. This is Marvel’s answer to the Flash’s Rogues – they’re not out to take over the world…they just want to get paid. Take the criminal’s insider narrative of “Goodfellas,” the capers and twists of the “Ocean’s 11″ series, and the humor and visual storytelling of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye, mix them together, and you’ve gotSuperior Foes. This book really seems to be flying under the radar, so grab this first trade paperback and see what you’ve been missing.