RICO’S PICK :: HIT #1: Bryce Carlson and a new-to-comics artist Vanesa R. Del Rey bring their talents to classic Los Angeles Noir with Hit #1. Vanesa’s illustration art is gorgeous and I look forward to seeing her work sequentially. Below is a peek at her art for Hit in black and white followed by a finished color page. Archie Van Buren is the colorist and Ryan Sook is providing  beautiful main covers for this series.

It’s no secret to readers of this blog that my husband/Heroes blogger Seth loves all things Hellboy, but he has been completely unable to get me to read anything outside of Hellboy Jr. and the Beasts of Burden crossover one-shot.  There’s no real reason for my stance on this.  I liked the Hellboy movies, but that’s more about my love for Ron Perlman in beastly make-up than any particular attachment to the Hellboy storyline.  (While we’re on Mr. Perlman, can we all have the warm fuzzies again about the Make-A-Wish kid and Hellboy story from this summer?) Anyhoo, back to comics…Seth has full shelves in our house dedicated to Hellboy and B.P.R.D., but they had been gathering dust where I was concerned until recently.

At this year’s HeroesCon, I stumbled into a conversation between B.P.R.D. artists Jason Latour and James Harren in which I mentioned that I had not read B.P.R.D. and I wasn’t sure it was for me.  Not daunted at all by my hesitation, Jason immediately suggested that I start with Plague of Frogs and assured me that I would like it.  August rolled around without me picking up any of the trades on our shelves until I had a week without many new comics in my reserve bag and decided to pull volume 3 and it give it a go.  Cut to about a week and half later and I am about to start volume 13. (more…)

HEATHER’S PICK :: JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #12: I was super disappointed when Zatanna’s solo book was absorbed by the New 52 and only grudgingly picked up JL Dark.  I didn’t want a team book, I wanted a female centered superhero book.  Color me surprised when I enjoyed this new team-up and was happy to be introduced to new-to-me characters.  I’ve particularly enjoyed Jeff Lemire’s turn at the storytelling helm as he tackles the House of Mystery and the Books of Magic.  If you enjoy your superheroes with a supernatural twist, don’t miss this one.