ANDY’S PICK :: Scott Pilgrim Color Hardcover Volume 1: Precious Little Life: Two years ago the Heroes Discussion Group met to discuss Scott Pilgrim and we had a blast. Why? Because the black and white series is so fast paced, so fun and Bryan Lee O’Malley is terrific cartoonist who combines manga comics, rock music and video games. Now O’Malley has taken the first volume Precious Little Life and has reproduced it in full color. If you didn’t try Scott Pilgrim the first time through, now’s your chance. Read it, then see the movie, then thank me (in that order)

ANDY’S PICK :: MICHAEL KALUTA SKETCHBOOK SERIES SC VOL 02: Most quality sketchbooks cost big bucks, but here you get 48 Over-sized sketchbook pages by Mike Kaluta–one of the greatest comics draftsmen of the past 30 years– for less than Ten bucks!! Just pick it up and look through it.  Guaranteed: you will end up buying Kaluta Sketchbook Volume 1 as well.

Ah Free Comic Book Day—not just a day of avarice, it is also a day of trying new things and taking advantage of Shelton and Shelley Drum’s good nature and keen merchant instincts.

So what’s my point?  Beats me, but if you are still reading you will know that there are dozens of books on the shelf just begging to be read.  This is the time to take advantage of deep discounts and give some books a whirl…

Outside of our protected 4-color world, are you a fan of History? Horror Movies?  Classic Comedy?  Of course you are and FCBD is a day made just for you.

If you are like me (and if so, medication helps—I swear!) you catch yourself engrossed in programs on The Military Channel, The Science Channel, The Travel Channel and History International.  Well sir (or madam), there are a number of terrific graphic novels sitting on the IKEA Billy brand[TM]  shelves in the back right hand corner of the store.  Head over there—go on–I’ll wait.  OK, now take a look at any book by Joe Sacco—Palestine, Safe Haven Gorazde or Footprints from Gaza.  All are award winning and are gripping fusions of comics and journalism.

For a more intimate take on world travel try any one of Guy Delisle’s excellent travelogues:  Shenzhen (China), Pyongyang (North Korea), the Burma Chronicles and the most recent Jerusalem.   Any of these books can be read on its own and I promise they are all worth your time and money.

Horror fans stand tall and rejoice —remember there is more to life than young brooding hunkish vampires.  Try any graphic novel collection of John Constantine: Hellblazer.  They are self-contained, really entertaining and above all as scary as the back of the crisper in my refrigerator.  Try any of the collections written by comic heavy-hitters like Jamie Delano, Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis or Brian Azzarello.  My absolute favorites are The Fear Machine, Rare Cuts, Dangerous Habits, Haunted and Hard Time.

And don’t forget Hellboy/BPRD.  It is first and foremost a horror series. If you have not tried these titles, you need to get in there and start reading—you won’t stop at one.  Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is as good as you’ve heard.  For recommendations, why not ask Heroes own Seth and Phil—they will guide you well my son (or my daughter)

So now we’ve got you geographically informed and scared out of your wits– what about something funny—I mean really funny– to cleanse the old palette?   Earlier this year, I recommended Snarked by Roger Langridge and Sergio Aragones Funnies—those suggestions still stand– but let me also offer up any collection of Aragones masterwork, Groo, any volume of Little Lulu by John Stanley and above all else, Carl Bark’s Donald Duck—Lost in the Andes or The Barks Bear Book. We had a great discussion about Barks last week and I cannot recommend these comics more.  The Duck man’s life work improves with age.

So remember—FCBD is really an acronym for Try Something New—Something Different!

Heroes prides itself on the variety they offer at any given time.  Take advantage of the sale prices– You will be surprised and delighted by what you uncover.

Just a quick reminder, join us on Saturday, March 24th at 1:00pm as we hunker down and discuss  Daredevil: Born Again collecting Daredevil # 227-233. by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli. If you have not read it before you are in for a treat!

Here are just a few of the topics we will discuss:

• What is it about Mazzuchelli’s art that sets it apart?
• Does the multiple narrator frame work succeed or detract?
• The God and Country/Armageddon Coda
• Ben Urich’s role in the finale two issues
• Sister Maggie
• How did this run on Daredevil affect Miller’s career as a writer/cartoonist?
• The lack of the patented Miller comic relief
• Murdock’s descent into madness
• An examination of the splash pages and the titles of each of the issues
• And lots more–there is quite a bit to talk about!!!

And as always, Born Again is available from Heroes with the special 10% Discussion Group discount.  Just be sure to remind the clerk as you check out!

See you Saturday, March 24th!

There are few things more satisfying than high quality crime fiction (The Novels of Jim Thompson, HBO’s The Sopranos, and Polanski’s Chinatown just to name three).

And there is nothing more embarrassing and ridiculous than cliche-ridden badly done hard boiled crime like Mickey Spillane (OK, it’s kinda funny), Bones (yikes!), Fatal Attraction (GAH!) and sadly I could go on and on.

The essential ingredients needed to produce quality crime writing are a consistent and believable tone, a fully developed central character/narrator and solid cast of supporting characters that allow you to suspend your disbelief until the final page is turned.

In recent years there have been a number of successful crime series in comics–(Darwyn Cooke’s Hunter adaptations, Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso’s 100 Bullets and Warren Ellis’ Fell ) and quite a few crime comics that fall headlong into cliche (the last four Sin City GNs).

One of today’s most popular crime series is Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.  For February’s Discussion Group we’ll be looking closely at two of Criminal’s story-arcs and examining what makes the stories work.  How do the writer and artist avoid cliches or how do they use them to enhance the story?  How do the creators use the comic medium to their unique advantage versus a prose writer or film director treating the same material?

Please plan to join us on Saturday February 18th at 1:00pm down at Heroes Headquarters and help us get the facts straight about Criminal: Bad Night and Criminal: The Last of the Innocent. Just leave yer pieces at home, but bring an open mind along with an air-tight alibi (See??? Bad Crime writing is a breeze!!!).

As usual, Heroes is offering the Discussion Group 10% Discount on both books,  Just remember to mention the Discussion Group as you check out.  We’ll see you on February 18th; and as always, Dames are welcome (Dear God, somebody stop me!)

It’s me! Your erstwhile Comic Strip and Golden Age fanatic reporting to you live from the Poorhouse.   I find myself in these somewhat Dickensian straits thanks to the quality and quantity of must-have reprints that were published over the past 12 months.  I tell ya, I was like a kid in a Comics shop–oh wait...

Whilst preparing this article I calculated that I had purchased 46 Collected editions over the course of the calendar year and 33 of them were Comic Strip collections.  All 46 books are gorgeous–they look great on the shelf and they are a joy to read and re-read and they function as text books of comic technique.

I realize the World Economy–like the Chicago Cubs– is in another “re-building year“, so in good conscience, I have reviewed all the reprint books I purchased & devoured this past year and I have listed below the creme de la creme–this is the stuff you really have to have:

• Mickey Mouse Vol 1 and 2 Race to Death Valley/Trapped on Treasure Island
• Walt and Skeezix Volume 5
• Carl Barks Donald Duck in Lost in the Andes
• Pogo Volume 1

But why these four?

Hyperbole is all but redundant on any Best-Of Lists.  Any apropos description– fantastic art/great pacing/fabulous cast of supporting characters/marvelous storytelling– comes off as tired and cliched.  I have spent the last two weeks trying to figure out why these four are the best of the year–why they mean so much to collectors on a gut level– here goes: (more…)