1) Bone: Quest for the Spark HC/SC

While this is actually a novel, the mere fact that it’s the first in a trilogy of new Bone stories should be enough to make fans of all ages take note.  And though creator Jeff Smith only contributes art to a few single page illustrations, even that should be enough to warrant a look.  Smith and writer Tom Sniegoski take Bone into a new era with new characters in this highly anticipated book.  Don’t miss a chance to read the next chapter in this always exciting epic.

2) Cinderella: Fables are Forever #1

The last miniseries, Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love, was one of the most popular Fables spinoffs to date, and the creative team of Chris Roberson and Shawn McManus return to tell yet another tale of Fabletown’s supreme secret agent.  Also returning is cover artist Chrissie Zullo, another talented local creator who has been making a name for herself in recent years with her unique contributions to books like Fables and Madame Xanadu.

3) Charismagic #0

Aspen takes advantage of the popularity of magic-based stories in this new miniseries from writer Vince Hernandez and artist Khary Randolph.  I’ve seen an advanced copy of the book, and it should appeal to longtime fans of Aspen books, as well as folks who enjoy magic stories.  If the recent Lady Mechanika is any indication, this book has the potential to move quickly.  Also worth noting, Khary Randolph was just announced as a guest at this year’s HeroesCon, and our own Rico Renzi interviewed him for a piece that appeared on our blog here!

4) Wolverine #5.1

Here on the Spotlight I’ve long discussed my respect for Jason Aaron’s writing.  That’s largely due to the fact that he makes me actually care about overly used and poorly used characters like Ghost Rider and Wolverine.  If you can get past the fact that there are still a few too many Wolverine titles, do yourself a favor and pick up this new offering from Marvel’s .1 initiative.  For those unaware of what the .1 books are, that essentially means you can pick up this issue without reading any other Wolverine books and have a good self-contained jumping on point.  Also worth noting is the contribution of artist Jefte Palo, most recently of the Doctor Voodoo and Taskmaster series.

5) Flash #9

Outside of teasers, there’s little DC has released regarding their upcoming Flashpoint storyline.  Anyone interested in finding out more about it might want to pick up this issue of Flash, as it’s apparently a prelude to the upcoming events.  If you’re a DC fan interested in their crossovers, this is your book to buy this week.  Flashpoint architect Geoff Johns writes this one that features art from regular series artist Francis Manapul.

> Bonus picks of the week: Power Man and Iron Fist #1, DC Universe Legacies #9, Onslaught Unleashed #1, Walking Dead #81, and Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #1