The Heroes Discussion Group returns!!  Thanks to all of you who have requested we continue this delightful endeavor.

What is it?  We select a graphic novel and on a scheduled Saturday afternoon we meet at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find and then repair to a local watering hole (or bakery).  There we eat, drink and have a full blown discussion about the book we’ve selected.

 Our mission is simple:  How often have you read a terrific (or really bad) comic and wanted to discuss it and for one reason or another, you could not.  We offer a forum where every one is on the same page and we do our darnedest (pardon my French!) to keep the discussion on track for a few hours.

 In the past 4 years (!) and almost 50 meetings, we’ve tackled every kind of comic book from Maus to Scott Pilgrim to From Hell to The Walking Dead to Sandman to All-Star Superman. The discussions are always lively and above all fun! For our re-inaugural, we thought we’d try something a bit different.  We want to examine a series that is currently on-going and (obviously) unfinished.

The book is Saga written by Brian K Vaughan and drawn by Fiona Staples (what a great comic book name!). SAGA is currently one of the best-selling comics and it is certainly the most buzz worthy outside our four-color world.

 We will be discussing the first 13 issues— which have been collected so far into 2 trades (with 13 a single issue).  As always, Heroes is offering the 10% DISCUSSION GROUP DISCOUNT on the two trades as well as #13.  But as an added incentive, if you purchase both collections and #13 at the same time, we are offering you the package for only 24.00!!! REMEMBER to inform the clerk of the discount when you check out!!

 Topics will include (but these are just suggestions)

• How does the artwork and especially the coloring sets the tone for the story?
• How do we as readers react to the reputation or past work of a creator? (Example, I have trouble reading anything by Vaughan without looking for parallels to LOST)
• Can this kind of sub-textural investigation help or hinder a readers experience?
• What sets Saga apart from all the other Sci-Fi and Fantasy books that are being published.
• Where do you see the book going in the months ahead?
• Does a book like Saga (or any other comic for that matter) benefit from ‘binge’ reading as opposed to reading each issue as it is released?
• And lots and lots more…..

If you are a big fan of Saga or if you dislike it or if you just want to break bread and talk with folks who have like interests, then please consider stopping by Heroes on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 at 1:00PM. There is no pressure to contribute!  You can just come by to listen.  All we ask is that you keep an open mind. And if you enjoy yourself (and we think you will!), mark your calendars to join us on Saturday, November 2ND at 1:00PM as we celebrate a belated Halloween by discussing Hellboy/B.P.R.D. (specific titles to be announced later–but if you have a particular volume in mind either respond on this Blog or our Facebook page!) And for the Yuletide???  We have a wonderful surprise in store.

See you there!

After the departure of original artists Ub Iwerks and Win Smith on the newly created Mickey Mouse newspaper strip, a young artist named Floyd Gottfredson was pulled from his steady job as an in-betweener in the Disney Animation department to temporarily fill-in.  Gottfredson’s  temporary substitution began in April 1930 and continued  until his retirement in October 1975.  His decade long tenure on the strip is legendary and worthy of a high quality (but very reasonably priced!) collection. During the 30s and early 40s, Mickey Mouse was one of the most popular and best executed strips around.  This is the fifth volume of the project complete work of Gottfredson on Mickey.  DISNEY MICKEY MOUSE COLOR SUNDAYS HC VOL 01 CALL of the WILD is the first volume to collect the Sunday strips. Like many comics of its day, the daily was intended for an older audience while the Color Sundays–whether a continuous story-line or as a gag page–   were designed to appeal to the young as well as the old.  These full color stories are fresher, breezier, funnier than the daily adventures, but still chalk full of the great Gottfredson storytelling, solid characterization in a fully realized world.    They are a perfect accompaniment to the old Mickey Mouse cartoons and they are ideal for younger readers. Enjoy!!!

The  Classic Comics Cavalcade continues on unabated to the quarterback!

After volume one of the Archie Newspaper Strip Library collected the first three years of the Archie comic strip, the good folks at IDW have decided to jump ahead almost a decade to 1960.  Enjoy the riotous adventures of perennial high-school student Archie Andrews and the entire cast of well defined supporting characters– the classmates and faculty of Riverdale High. With these strips writer/artist Bob Montana perfects his craft and begins his finest period as a daily cartoonist.  This volume includes every daily from September of 1960 to April (SPRING BREAK!!) of 1963.    Plus– Betty! and Veronica! along my all-time faves–Miss Grundy!! and Cafeteria Lady Miss Beazly!! Don’t judge me.  ARCHIE HC VOL 02 COMPLETE DAILY NEWSPAPER COMICS 1960-1963 is a great choice for fans of classic humor strips and an absolute must-have for all Archie Fans.