Author Archive

STAFF PICKS :: THOMPSON!!! KIRBY!!!!! KIRBY!!!! BUSHMILLER!!!! LARSON!!!!!! :: NOVEMBER 26, 2014

November 26, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picks andy_staff_picks“We’re gonna need a bigger book shelf”–Sheriff Brody

ART OF RICHARD THOMPSON HC| $35.00
I will let our esteemed Warehouse Manager talk about this one, but I can’t say enough about the great Richard Thompson. This book is indispensible!

ART OF THE SIMON AND KIRBY STUDIO| $60.00
KIRBY KING OF THE COMICS HC NEW PTG| $45.00
Two books that showcase the art and the artist! Titan has done a splendid job with their S&K Library and this artbook is a terrific accoutrement! Who knew Kirby better than long time assistant and devoted friend Mark Evanier? Evanier is one of the most engaging writers around and this book is a proud and respectful testament to The King.
KirbySimon

NANCY COMPLETE DAILIES GN VOL 03 LOVES SLUGGO 1949-1951| $39.99
Have you ever taken the time to read and devour Ernie Bushmiller’s masterpiece Nancy. Deceptibly simple and oddly corny, it is surprisingly funny and a virtual textbook on comic storytelling.

COMPLETE FARSIDE SC SLIPCASED BOXED SET| $100.00
in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Calvin and Hobbes was the comic strip page gold standard, but it was Gary Larson’s odd and consistently laugh out loud funny single panel the Far Side that got the most buzz around the water cooler. The strip is still influential today with strips like Bizarro, Lio and rhymes with Orange mining the vein Larson tapped.

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STAFF PICKS :: CATCH THE TRADE (& HARDCOVER) WINDS IN YOUR SAILS :: NOVEMBER 19, 2014

November 17, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picks andy_staff_picksANDY’S PICKS: So broke, yet so happy…..the stuff of which Holiday gift lists are made.

CASANOVA COMPLETE ED HC VOL 01 LUXURIA| $29.99Luxuria
For all fans of the writing of Matt Fraction as well as the magical art of Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba, this edition of the First series starring superspy extraordinaire Casanova Quinn is required reading. Come for the story and art and stay for all the clever cultural references!

DUST COVERS THE COLLECTED SANDMAN COVERS HC NEW ED| $49.99
The new edition of the collected Sandman covers all created by the always innovative Dave McKean features annotations and a new short story by the Endless’ own Neil Gaiman. Innovation is an understatement; here be Gems!

tt-50yearsTEEN TITANS A CELEBRATION OF 50 YEARS HC| $75.00
I don’t know what is collected in the Teen Titans 50th Anniversary, but DCs recent track record of solid Anniversary anthologies suggests this book will be worth a peek and maybe a purchase.

EC GEORGE EVANS ACES HIGH HC| $29.99
Does anyone draw airplanes better than the late great George Evans? Heck no! And the new Fantagraphics EC spotlight does this craftsman’s work proud. Outstanding comics presented in rich detail laden black and white.

All these volumes are choice but if I could only choose two (one? Shirley, you jest)…
SILVER SURFER EPIC COLLECTION TP WHEN CALLS GALACTUS| $34.99 FF_surfer
Collecting FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #49, #55, #57-60, #72 and #74-77 – plus material from FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #48, #50, #56 and #61; FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL (1964) #5; and TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) #92-93.
I would gladly exchange my hard earned tender for this Silver Surfer collection; the stories found within show off the mid-sixties Lee, Kirby and Sinnott magic as they managed to turn the comic world on its collective ear month in and month out. Glorious and more fun than any other book around.

Lastly and certainly not leastly
ART OF MODESTY BLAISE SC| $39.99
Modesty Blaise is the most fun, the most intelligent and most importantly the most consistent daily newspaper adventure strip of the past 40 years. Look through this gem of an artbook that features all 5 of Modesty’s great illustrators and then pick up any–ANY!!!- Modesty reprint volume that Sir Justin of Crowsely stocks on the bulging shelves of Heroeshire. Every single volume is great. I swear!

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STAFF PICKS :: ZENITH PHASE ONE :: NOVEMBER 12, 2014

November 11, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picks andy_staff_picksANDY’S PICK :: ZENITH PHASE ONE: Before there was Animal Man, Doom Patrol, New X-Men, The Invisibles, Seven Soldiers of Victory, Batman & Son, Final Crisis, and Multiverse, there was Zenith. Grant Morrison along with designer Brendan McCarthy and artist Steve Yeowell created the first selfish Gen-X Superhero as rock star. Originally published in England in 2000 AD, between 1987 to 1992, ZENITH has not been reprinted for decades and that huge gaping absence in the era of classic reprints ends today. Back in the day, I was one of the few, lucky few in the colonies to read it and if memory serves, it is a marvelous read. Don’t miss it.
Zenith

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STAFF PICKS :: WAKE, KINSKI and yet another CLASSIC COMICS STRIP CORNUCOPIA :: NOVEMBER 5, 2014

November 04, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks, Uncategorized

staff_picks andy_staff_picksANDY’S PICKS :: At this past weekend’s Discussion Group–and we had a blast, join us for the next one!!-two books were strongly recommended by our Discussioneers (c): WAKE the ten issue horror mini series from Batwriter Scott Snyder and artist Sean Murphy. It is set at the Arctic Circle and it sounds horrifying. And KINSKI the six issue miniseries from Gabriel Hardiman about a man and his dog, but that is not what it is really about. Both books are collected in book form and are well worth your time, money and effort.
Kinski_01-1

SUPERMAN GOLDEN AGE SUNDAYS 1946-1949 HC| $49.95
WALLACE & GROMIT NEWSPAPER STRIPS HC VOL 02| $14.99
WALT KELLY POGO COMP DELL COMICS HC VOL 02| $60.00
BOB POWELL COMPLETE CAVE GIRL HC| $49.99
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE TP BREAKING STEPHAN| $14.99
MUTTS TREASURY LIVING THE DREAM SC| $19.99
GET FUZZY TP YOU CANT FIGHT CRAZY| $14.99

You can’t go wrong with any of these collections. Mutts, Get Fuzzy and Pearls Before Swine are three of the most consistent and entertaining contemporary strips. So is Wallace & Gromit and these collections are the only place in the colonies to find this gem. Powell was a good girl art master to rival even Matt Baker. You can’t go wrong with Walt Kelly’s swamp folk in any medium. But it is those full page, full color Wayne Boring Sunday strips that really melt my butter. Yours too if you are so inclined to give them a try!

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STAFF PICKS :: CLASSIC COMICS CAVALCADE :: OCTOBER 29, 2014

October 29, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picks andy_staff_picksANDY’S PICKS: Agggghhh!! It’s too much! Too many great classic reprints.

COMPLETE PEANUTS HC VOL 22 1993-1994| $29.99
COMPLETE PEANUTS TP BOX SET 1950-1954| $39.99
COMPLETE PEANUTS TP VOL 02 1953-1954| $22.99
DILBERT HC GO ADD VALUE SOMEPLACE ELSE| $19.99
PEANUTS EVERY SUNDAY HC VOL 02 1956-1960| $49.99
POGO COMP SYNDICATED STRIPS HC VOL 03 EVIDENCE CONTRARY| $45.00

You can’t go wrong with any of these titles, but if I was forced to buy only one (not gonna happen, Cap’n!!) my first recommendation would be the Peanuts Sundays followed this/close by Pogo. But any Peanuts or Pogo will do and even though Dilbert doesn’t belong in the league with those other classics, it is consistently one of the funniest strips being published today.

100 BULLETS TP BOOK 01| $24.99
BASIL WOLVERTON WEIRD WORLDS ARTISTS ED HC| $150.00
PREACHER TP BOOK 06| $19.99
HOWARD THE DUCK OMNIBUS| $99.99
DISNEY ROSA DUCK LIBRARY HC VOL 02 RETURN TO PLAIN AWFUL| $29.99
IRON MAN EPIC COLLECTION TP GOLDEN AVENGER| $34.99

Wow, what can I except Christmas is right around the corner. I will let our esteemed manager talk about HtD. My recs are 100 Bullets and Preacher–two great series that remain in print and deservedly so. But you gotta love the antique Iron Man tales and Don Rosa once again does Duckburg proud. Wolverton is a genius and just a passing glance at this Artists edition proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

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STAFF PICKS :: BATMAN FILES :: OCTOBER 22, 2014

October 22, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picks andy_staff_picksThe Batman Files is a BIG book–308  13×10 pages!- crammed full of every bit of information known about the Dark Knight Detective. This clever reference book is presented in the form of a scrapbook or journal that details every known aspect of the Caped Crusader as if it had been compiled by Bruce Wayne himself. The author–Matthew Manning in concert with hundreds of artists have done a splendid job. The Batman Files offers hundreds of fun tidbits and delivers the Intel in a way that is both dramatic and personal. This is a must for all Bat-fans. And remember November 1st we will be spotlighting the Batman at the triumphant return of the Heroes Discussion Group.batman_files

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STAFF PICKS ::WALT DISNEY UNCLE SCROOGE HC VOL 02 SEVEN CITIES GOLD:: OCTOBER

October 15, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks, Uncategorized

staff_picksandy_staff_picksAnother huge week for the Classic Comics Commandos (what we call ourselves to impress the babes!) Action Philosophers collects all the issues Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey  cartoon history of Philosophy from Socrates (the old dude in the bedsheet from Bill and Ted!) to Jacques Derrida (Dream and Death’s younger brother Deconstruction)! Good stuff Maynard (Keynes!) With HELLBLAZER TP VOL 09 CRITICAL MASS  the John Constantine Library continues its classic reprint run with issues #84-96 featuring stories by Jamie Delano, Sean Phillips as well as the beginning of the long run by Paul Jenkins. PLUS– 3 stories written by EDDIE CAMPBELL!! But if you can only afford one classic reprint this week it has to be WALT DISNEY UNCLE SCROOGE HC VOL 02 SEVEN CITIES GOLD. It’s Carl Barks at his prime. Even sub-prime Barks is better than 95% of all other cartoonists. Prime Barks is not just essential, it’s required!!!  Enjoy!!!
scrooge

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HEROES DISCUSSION GROUP RETURNS with BATMANx3 :: NOVEMBER 1, 1:00pm

October 08, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: Discussion Group, EVENTS, Heroes Aren't Hard To Find, NEWS

discussion_groupWe’re back and we’re ready to make a few monthly deep dives into terrific comics. We appreciate your patience as we went on hiatus, but it is time to start reading again and get back into the fray.

Join us on Saturday November 1st at 1:00pm. As tradition demands, we will meet at the store and then repair to a local watering-hole for a couple of hours of great discussion along with food, drink (if you’re hungry or thirsty). It is a lot of fun to sit around and talk comics with a group of comic fans. Everyone’s opinion is welcome, we just ask that you read the books and bring an open mind.

We hope you will consider joining us for this fun and exciting afternoon. As we’ve mentioned before, you do not need to participate; if you just want to come by and listen, we’d love to see you!

We hope you’ll join us for the big return and what is bigger topic than Batman? How about 3 Graphic novels featured in The Batman 75th Anniversary Box Set which includes…

75The Dark Knight Returns is a 1986 four-issue comic book mini-series starring Batman and set some 20 years in the future of continuity, written and illustrated by Frank Miller with Inks by Klaus Janson and colored by Lynn Varley. This is one of the most influential super-hero comics of all time.

Batman: Hush was published 2002-2003 in monthly installments in Batman #608-619 and was written by Jeph Loeb penciled by Jim Lee, inked by Scott Williams and colored by Alex Sinclair. A perennial best seller!

Batman: The Court of Owls was published in Batman Volume 2 #1-7 written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion. Certainly one of the most popular story line from the last few years.

(NOTE: If you already own one or more of these GNs, you are good to go but if find yourself Dark Knight Deficient, the 75th Anniversary box set is a beauty!)

And as usual Heroes will offer the special 10% discount on either the box set or any other editions of Returns, Hush and Court of Owls—but remember to mention the discount at check out!!

Suggested Topics for the afternoon? Okay how about…

  • The three visions of the same characters.
  • How did the series influence each other?
  • The challenge (or necessity?) for continuity
  • Batman himself—what draws generations of readers to this odd, angry anti-social (but popular) character?
  • What other Batman storylines/GN deserve to be in the same company
  • And that is just the tip of the cowl ladies and gentlemen.

And what you may ask, do we have planned for the months ahead?

Late November— Fables –and we will let you folks choose which collection we will spotlight. Watch this space for further details!!

Down the road….

Hawkeye

The Best Comics of the Year Anthology

The Complete Bone–(if you don’t already own this masterpiece, it is a perfect Holiday gift request!)

Gilbert Hernandez -we let you folks choose– Marble Season? Julio’s Day? Human Diastrophism? just to name 3.

A Comic strip showcase: Pogo, Peanuts or Barnaby—and again–you will make the call.

And just before HeroesCon we will finally feature….. Miracleman (assuming Marvel stays on schedule # 1 thru 15 should all be available)

We hope to see you on November 1st at 1:00pm and if you enjoy the afternoon—believe us—you will!!!—plan to join us for more scheduled Discussion Groups down the road!

 

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STAFF PICKS :: NEIL GAIMAN WEEK :: OCTOBER 07, 2014

October 07, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picksandy_staff_picks
It must be Neil Gaiman week at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find….
NEIL GAIMAN FORTUNATELY THE MILK SC| $5.99
Have you read any of Gaiman’s picture books for kids? My daughter and I were HUGE fans of The Day I Swapped my Dad for Two Goldfish and The Wolves in the Walls. Now Gaiman has teamed up with comic artist extraordinaire (and friend of HeroesCon) Skottie Young.  The book is a hoot!!
NEIL GAIMAN GRAVEYARD BOOK COMMEMORATIVE ED| $9.99
The Graveyard Book has won both the Newberry and Hugo awards and rightly so; it is a marvelous book for YA and older children as well us old folks. It is a charming and clever ghost story; but if you are reading it with the kids, brace yourself for the rather violent first chapter.
GaimanMilk_1_photo_Brady_Hall080713
NEIL GAIMAN GRAVEYARD BOOK HC GN VOL 02 (OF 2)| $19.99
No one handles adaptations better than P. Craig Russell. His flowing line and remarkable sense of design is only surpassed by his storytelling skills. Buy the novel, read it and then pick up the Russell adaptation. A real treat.
NEIL GAIMAN THE LAST TEMPTATION HC| $39.99
Not a fan of Alice Cooper these days??…fair enough, but everyone loves the art of Michael Zulli and this beautiful reprint edition of the 1994 mini-series is a perfect showcase for Zulli’s formidable talent.
All of these books are worth picking up and they are just a warm up for the upcoming reprint of Gaiman’s brilliant run on Miracleman
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STAFF PICKS :: THERE’S GOLD ON THEM THERE SHELVES!!! :: OCTOBER 01, 2014

September 30, 2014 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picksandy_staff_picks
ANDY’S PICKS: There’s just too much this week!!!
LOVERBOYS HC by the great Gilbert Hernandez. If you are wondering what the deal with the Los Bros and why every casual Love and Rockets reader become fanatics, just pick up this new tour-de-force  original GN by Gilbert– love, lust, poison and intrigue in a small town– and you will figure out why and you will become a convert as well.
Loverboys
SPIRITS of THE DEAD collects of all the Edgar Allan Poe stories adapted by the one-and-only comic master Richard Corben. This HC includes The Conqueror Worm, The Fall of the House of Usher #1-#2, The Raven, The Red Death (worth the price of admission alone!), Morella, The Murders in the Rue Morgue and more.
FABLES DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 09 brings together the final story arcs (issues 70-82) that chronicle the war between Fabletown and the Worlds of the Adversary. This volume presents a true high water mark for creative team Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham who have been delivering consistently terrific stories for almost 150 issues.
COMPLETE CHESTER GOULD DICK TRACY HC VOL 17 collects one of the last great storylines featuring our stoic detective. Tracy’s greatest villain Flattop had a son, Flattop Jr. and he is hell bent on revenge in a tale that deals directly with juvenile delinquency. If you’ve been on the fence about the great Chester Gould, this is an ideal volume to wet your whistle. It’s weird, it’s twisted, it is great comic art.
dick17
Not enough? (it never is!) then don’t forget… PUCK WHAT FOOLS THESE MORTALS BE HC–a history of the first great venue for political cartoons, BATMAN 75TH ANNIVERSARY  TP COLLECTIONDark Knight Returns, Hush and The Court of the Owls all in one edition. Plus dozens of floppies.
Chow!
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