1) AVX: Versus #1

There are some readers who find big company event books to be dialogue heavy and sometimes short on action.  Marvel addresses that concern with this new six issue miniseries that directly ties into events of Avengers vs. X-men.  The catch is that Versus brings together top creative teams to tell issue long stories of the actual fights between certain characters.  Issue one features stories from Jason Aaron and Kathryn Immonen, and art from Adam Kubert and Stuart Immonen, and looks at battles between Iron Man and Magneto, and The Thing and Namor.  There’s not a lot of standing around and talking in this book, so if you like  your comics full of action, you’ll want to remember to give this one a look.

2) Popeye #1

E.C. Segar’s classic character sees new comic life this week from IDW.  Popeye’s one of those timeless properties that any age group can enjoy, and IDW has enlisted a fitting creative team to bring these new stories to life.  Roger Langridge handles the writing duties, and while some of you might primarily know him for his amazing cartooing skills, he’s also an accomplished writer, with acclaimed work on books like Thor: The Mighty Avenger and Marvel’s John Carter: A Princess of Mars novel adaptation.  Artist Bruce Ozella is a relative newcomer to comics, but when you see his Segar-inspired art, you’ll see why he was chosen for this project.  Even better, it’s obvious from looking at their work that both creators have a great deal of reverence for Segar’s artistry.

3) B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Pickens County Horror #2

This week, Mike Mignola and Scott Allie continue their Hell on Earth series of stories by wrapping up this two issue miniseries.  The series deals with B.P.R.D. agents who stumble upon weird mists, fungi and vampires in rural South Carolina.  It’s also illustrated by local artist Jason Latour, who continues to show the wide range of his art.  Also, don’t miss the cover by Becky Cloonan.  Her covers for this series will make you wish she drew B.P.R.D. covers more often.

4) Star Wars Blood Ties: Boba Fett is Dead #1

This new series from Dark Horse deals with the apparent murder of fan favorite Boba Fett, and the subsequent hunting down of his alleged killers.  While this isn’t the first time Boba Fett has appeared to die, it should be an interesting series to follow if you’re among the countless Fett fans.  It’s also worth noting that writer Tom Taylor and artist Chris Scalf have worked on Boba Fett stories in the past, most notably on the earlier Blood Ties series.

5) Art of Amanda Conner HC

This new art book from Desperado and IDW celebrates the work of Amanda Conner, who many of you know from diverse titles like Power Girl, Wednesday Comics, The Pro, Painkiller Jane and JSA: Classified, among many others.  She has developed a strong reputation for always producing work that is reminiscent of everything from Silver Age comics to classic pin up art.  She’s also illustrating some of the upcoming Before Watchmen stories, and it’s easy to see why DC would enlist her for such a project.  Don’t forget, she’ll also be at this year’s HeroesCon!

> Bonus Picks of the Week:  Batman: Dark Knight #8, Twelve #12, Abe Sapien vol. 2 TP, Supercrooks #2, Aquaman #8, Chew vol. 5 TP, Sixth Gun vol. 3 TP, Flash #8, Captain America and Hawkeye #629, I’m Not a Plastic Bag HC and Frazetta: Funny Stuff HC.

1) Shadow #1

Dynamite brings back the popular pulp vigilante this week in a new series from Garth Ennis and Aaron Campbell. Ennis’ gritty style should work well with this violent character and his late ’30’s battles with killers, spies and other ne’er-do-wells.  The first issue also features a wide variety of covers, including art from Alex Ross, Jae Lee, John Cassaday, Francesco Francavilla and Howard Chaykin.

2) Avengers #25

This issue is tied to the massive Avengers vs. X-men series, but it also marks the debut of guest artist Walt Simonson.  Walt will be on board for several months, and it’s great to see him back drawing some of the classic characters he helped to define over the years.  Plus, this marks the last major storyline from Brian Bendis, who will be leaving the book following the big Avengers vs. X-men story.

3) Harvey Pekar: Cleveland HC

Though comics lost one of its truly original voices when Harvey Pekar passed away in 2010, Cleveland reminds us of his continuing relevance.  This posthumous graphic novel illustrated by Joseph Remnant is a typical Pekar work in that it’s filled with reflections on ordinary life.  At the same time, it explores the history of Cleveland, and how Pekar himself observed it through his lifetime.  If you’re a reader who has been wanting to find some good examples of autobiography and memoir in comics, look no further than the works of the late, great Harvey Pekar.

4) Wonder Woman #8

Wonder Woman remains one of the most reliable of DC’s new 52.  It’s a book you can always count on for solid storytelling.  This issue is significant because it sees series artist Cliff Chiang add to his role by becoming co-writer alongside regular writer Brian Azzarello.  Cliff used to edit some of Vertigo’s top titles before gaining renown as an artist, so his writing should only make this already good book even better.

5) Uncanny X-force #24

This issue from Rick Remender and guest artist Phil Noto focuses on Wolverine and his covert ops squad hunting down the Iceman from the Age of Apocalypse storyline, who recently wound up in our reality.  If you want to see more Nightcrawler and an Iceman with full control of his abilities, this should be a fun book for you.  The fact that Phil Noto provided art for this issue makes it well worth a look, even if you’re new to this series.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Avengers vs. X-men #2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro Series #4: Leonardo, Batman #8, Wolverine and the X-men #9, Justice Leage #8, Secret History of D.B. Cooper #2, Manhattan Projects #2 and Rocketeer Adventures 2 #2.

1) Secret #1

This week, Image debuts a new ongoing from Jonathan Hickman and Ryan Bodenheim.  It’s being called a thriller, but with its inclusion of private security firms and governments at risk, the creators were undoubtedly inspired by real events in recent years.  If Hickman’s recent Manhattan Projects title is any indication, his scheduled Image books look to be well worth a read.  Don’t forget that both creators will be a part of this year’s HeroesCon!

2) Daredevil Season One HC

Marvel continues their recent re-examination of the origins of some of their top heroes with this volume by Antony Johnston and Wellington Alves.  Thus far these have been solid, ground-floor books that are a good way to introduce new readers to older characters, or for longtime fans to see another side of their favorite character’s origin.

3) America’s Got Powers #1

This debut issue from Jonathan Ross and Bryan Hitch looks like it has a lot going for it.  Ross gained some attention for his work with Tommy Lee Edwards on Turf, and this particular book marks the first creator-owned work from Hitch in a good while.  This book deals with the idea that super powered teenagers battle live on a reality t.v. show.  It looks like it should be an interesting commentary on modern entertainment.  At the same time, it seems like it could have some similarities to the popular Hunger Games books and film.  So if you’re a fan of those, this might also be a good comic for you.

4) Saga #2

Were you one of the many who missed out on the first issue of this new title from Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples?  Not only does the second printing of the first issue arrive this week, but also the brand new second issue.  For those who haven’t heard about it, this book tells the story of two young parents on opposite sides of an intergalactic war, who have to evade the many looking to destroy them, and in the process, keep their young daughter safe.  Not only is Saga a well-crafted fantasy concept from Vaughan, but it features some fine art from Staples that works well with Vaughan’s writing.

5) Secret Service #1

In addition to being the latest original work from Mark Millar, it’s worth mentioning that his collaborator on this new title is none other than Dave Gibbons, co-creator of Watchmen.  Millar has been wanting to collaborate with Gibbons for decades, so expect him to be bringing a good story this time around.  The book focuses on a super-spy who has to deal with numerous precarious situations facing the globe.

>Bonus Picks of the Week: Courtney Crumrin Ongoing #1, 100 Bullets Book 2 HC, Strange Talent of Luther Strode vol. 1 TP, Adventure Time #3, Secret Avengers #25, Alabaster Wolves #1, Batman Incorporated vol. 1 Deluxe HC, Batman: Arkham Unhinged #1, Avenging Spider-man #6, Avengers Assemble #2 and Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes #1.

For those of you who regularly read our blog, you know from time to time we offer the occasional surprise.  Today’s no different.  If you stop by Heroes tonight from 8 – 9, you can pick up a copy of Avengers vs. X-men #1.  That’s right, you can read your copy a full fourteen hours before it hits shelves tomorrow!  In addition to the book, we’ll have some other Avengers vs. X-men giveaways to enjoy.  So stop by and see what everyone’s talking about!  If you can’t make it tonight, we’ll be open tomorrow at our regular time of 10 a.m., so you can pick up all the new releases then.  We hope to see you here!

• MARK BAGLEY – Mark has been one of Marvel’s go-to artists for years now.  Along with classic work on titles like Amazing Spider-man, New Warriors and Venom: Lethal Protector, Mark also provided work for Ultimate Spider-man and the recent Avengers Assemble title.
• ALEAH BAKER –  You can see Aleah’s coloring skills in recent issues of both Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe.
• IAN FLYNN – Ian is responsible for writing some of the best kids books on the shelves today.  Along with work on Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe, Ian also helms the popular Mega Man series.
• JAMES LYLE – You might’ve seen James’ artwork on books like Doorman and Grimm Fairy Tales.  He’ll also be representing and bringing some friends from the Southeast Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society (SCNCS).
• BUDDY PRINCE – Buddy provided pencils for Night, along with art for Upper Deck Cards.
• BUDD ROOT – As the creator of Cavewoman, Budd built a strong following with his renditions of dinosaurs, creatures and the humans who survive among them.
• ANDY SMITH – Andy’s a veteran artist who has worked on everything from X-O Manowar, The First, WWE Heroes, War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath and X-men: Forever, among many others.
• CHRIS SPARKS – Chris is responsible for editing and compiling Team Cul de Sac which will debut at HeroesCon! It’s an amazing book celebrating the art of Richard Thompson and benefitting The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Researh.  There’s a huge list of talented artists who contributed to the Team Cul de Sac book, among them are Bill Watterson, Sergio Aragones, Mort Walker, Roger Langridge, Chris Schweizer, David Malki and Evan Dorkin.
• KOI TURNBULL – Koi has provided art for a variety of books, including Michael Turner’s Fathom, Soul Retreiver, Black Panther and Young Justice.

1) Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery Deluxe HC

This long out of print favorite from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely finally sees the new life this week.  Aside from noting that Flex spun out of Morrison’s Doom Patrol, this one’s a bit too layered to describe in just a blurb.  It’s a trippy story that looks at archetypes in new ways, all while unfolding in a unique way.  It’s also worth pointing out that book was the first major collaboration between Morrison and Quitely, who went on to create some great stories over the years.

2) Supreme #63

Along with recently updated versions of books like Glory, Prophet and Bloodstrike, Image is also bringing back Supreme.  The interesting thing about this version is that it picks up with Alan Moore’s unpublished stories that would’ve capped off his acclaimed run on the book in the late ’90’s.  Bringing Moore’s story to life are Erik Larsen and Cory Hamscher.

3) Joe Golem and the Drowning City Illustrated Novel HC

While it’s not a comic, this new illustrated novel was co-written by Christopher Golden and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and features Mignola art throughout.  This story focuses on the mysteries, scavengers and assorted macabre beings dwelling in an earthquake-destroyed, partially submerged Manhattan.  The protagonists include a Victorian detective comprised of magic and mechanics, and Joe Golem himself, who dreams of a past that may have involved hunting witches.

4) Swamp Thing #8

Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette introduce a newly redesigned Swamp Thing this week.  This one has antlers, a breastplate and looks to be more of a warrior than just an elemental. This title remains one of the most reliable and consistent of DC’s 52 relaunches, and promises more quality ahead, including a crossover with Animal Man.  Don’t forget, you can talk to Scott Snyder all about his work on Swamp Thing at this year’s HeroesCon!

5) Archie Meets Kiss TP

Whenever Kiss appears in new comics they still fly off the shelves.  This week you get a chance to read the entire sold out Archie Meets Kiss story in a handy trade paperback.  This story features contributions from Alex Segura and Dan Parent.  Also, cover artist Francesco Francavilla will be with us for this year’s Free Comic Book Day!

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Avengers vs. X-men #1, Animal Man #8, Wolverine and the X-men #8, Action Comics #8, Daredevil #10.1, Age of Apocalypse #2, Fatale #4, Hulk #50, Boys #65, Secret Avengers #24 and Venom #15.

1) Avengers vs. X-men #0

Though Avengers vs. X-men #1 hits stands next week, the story really gets going in this week’s #0 issue.  Brian Bendis, Jason Aaron and Frank Cho kick things off with a story focusing on Scarlet Witch and Hope Summers, two characters who will be playing big parts in the upcoming series.  What roles will these two powerful characters play in the start of the conflict, and on what side of the skirmish might they end up?

2) B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Pickens County Horror #1

Mike Mignola’s B.P.R.D. has been heading down increasingly darker paths in recent years.  This new mini series takes B.P.R.D. agents down south to investigate a family of Southern vampires and their creepy Gothic homestead.  Mignola teams with co-writer Scott Allie for this one, and the artist is Charlotte’s own Jason Latour, whose distinctive art is a perfect match for the horrors found in Mignola’s universe.

3) Art of Daniel Clowes: Modern Cartoonist

In this all new exploration of the genius of Daniel Clowes, you’ll not only get to see prime examples of his artistic development over the years (from Eightball through Mister Wonderful), but also get to see lots of rare and unpublished work.  In addition, there are exploratory essays by fellow geniuses Chip Kidd and Chris Ware.  This one’s definitely the top art book of the week.

4) The New Deadwardians #1

In this third of March’s new Vertigo titles you’ll encounter vampires and zombies in post-Victorian England.  The twist is that most in the upper class are vampires, while those in the lower class are zombies.  The series follows a detective who has the difficult job of solving murders amid a society of the undead.  This one features writing from veteran creator Dan Abnett and art from newcomer Ian Culbard.

5) Brother Nash #1

No, this book isn’t one you’ll find on this week’s new releases page, but it is one you should know about.  Heroes’ own Bridgit Scheide offers up a collection of her popular online comic Brother Nash, and you can find a copy this week at Heroes!  If you’re not familiar with the story, it features everything from Native American folklore to supernatural baddies.  It’s also all experienced by a trucker who may not be exactly as he as seems.  Pick one up and support an awesome local creator!

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Aquaman #7, Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred #3, Uncanny X-force #23, Walking Dead #95, Spaceman #5, Torpedo vol. 5 HC, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ongoing #8, Gonzo: A Graphic Biography of Hunter S. Thompson, Daredevil #10 and Justice League Dark #7.

1) Supercrooks #1

The latest effort from Mark Millar teams him up with Leinil Yu and features a team of super criminals who decide to head overseas after being frustrated with the number of superheroes (and villains) in America.  If you were a fan of Kick Ass or Superior, this one is in the same vein, so don’t forget it when you stop by Heroes this week.

2) Rocketeer Adventures 2 #1

IDW continues the legacy of the great Dave Stevens with this second volume of their acclaimed anthology.  Kicking off the first issue are talented creators like Bill Sienkiewicz, Peter David, Stan Sakai, Sandy Plunkett and Arthur Adams.  Plus, Darwyn Cooke provides amazing covers for the series.  Future issues of this volume will include the likes of Kyle Baker, Eric Canete, Dave Johnson, Michael Golden, John Paul Leon and Walt Simonson, just to name a few.  There’s a lot to look forward to with this series!

3) B.P.R.D: Hell on Earth: The Long Death #2

Mike Mignola and John Arcudi continue to take B.P.R.D. to dark new places.  This issue continues their story of new and old monsters in the woods, and features spooky artwork from James Harren.  We’re excited that all three of these creators will be a part of HeroesCon this year!  If the story and art isn’t enough reason to pick up this particular issue, Hellboy artist Duncan Fegredo provides a suitably creepy cover.

4) Dominique Laveau: Voodoo Child #1

Last week saw the debut of Vertigo’s Saucer Country.  This week sees the launch of Dominique Laveau, which focuses on a voodoo heir in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.  The series is by longtime journalist turned comic writer Selwyn Hinds and respected artist Denys Cowan.  Plus, the great Rafael Grampa provides covers!

5) Michael Kaluta Sketchbook Series SC vol. 1

For the art fans this week there’s not a better offering than this new Sketchbook from Michael Kaluta.  A veteran artist of over 40 years, Kaluta has made an indelible mark on the industry with his work on books like The Shadow, House of Mystery, Madame Xanadu and the cult favorite Starstruck.  This new Sketchbook features Kaluta delving into his process from initial idea through sketches and revisions toward their finished product.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Avengers X-sanction #4, Wonder Woman #7, Goon #38, Justice League #7, Sonic Genesis HC, Richard Corben’s Ragemoor #1, Last of the Greats TP, Batman #7 and Wolverine #303.

1) Avengers Assemble #1

This new title from Brian Bendis and Mark Bagley features all of the heroes appearing in the upcoming Avengers movie, and appears to be a stand alone, continuity-free venture.  In other words, if you’ve been hesitant to pick up Avengers but found yourself intrigued by the trailers for the film, this is a great book to pick up.  Even better, we’re offering the rare Heroes Variant for issue #1!  It’s only available for purchase in the store or at the Heroes online store, and features different cover art from Khoi Pham alongside a nifty banner for HeroesCon!  The Heroes variant hits stands for the first time this Wednesday alongside the rest of the week’s new releases.

2) Saga #1

Image ushers in Brian K. Vaughan’s return to comics this week with his new ongoing series Saga.  The new title features art from Fiona Staples, and is very much in a science fiction vein, while still focusing on a central cast of a young family in the midst of a war.  Early reviews of the book have been very positive, and if you followed Vaughan’s earlier efforts like Y: The Last Man or Ex Machina, you should definitely enjoy this new venture.

3) Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salt Sea TP

One of Europe’s most popular comics finally sees a new American printing this week.  Corto Maltese is among the finest representations of European comics, and probably the best known work from illustrator Hugo Pratt.  It also happenes to be one of comics’ most influential adventure stories.  This introductory volume features the first appearances of the character, and are the perfect place to jump onboard and learn about this classic character.

4) Saucer Country #1

Vertigo is launching several new titles over the next few months.  This one by Paul Cornell and Ryan Kelly follows a Governor who was abducted by aliens and decides to run for President in part to ward off an alien threat.  The combination of politics and science fiction makes this book one that should work nicely at Vertigo.

5) Monstermen and Other Scary Stories HC

Another great find this week is this lesser known gem from illustrator Gary Gianni.  Dark Horse collects these tales that feature Gianni’s take on all things adventure and horror, including pirates, monsters, ghosts and more.  Gianni recently took the reins on the classic Prince Valiant strip, and has contributed notably to comics over the years with work ranging from The Shadow and Batman, to Tom Strong and Indiana Jones. This collection of his own characters is a long time coming, and a perfect book for horror fans.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Womanthology Heroic HC, Adventure Time #2, Complete Crumb TP vol. 1, Conan the Barbarian #2, Wolverine and the X-men #7, Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #3, and Secret History of D.B. Cooper #1.

Cheers to Andy Mansell, who has led and moderated the Heroes Discussion Group through 41 different books over the past four years.  We’ve tackled a wide gamut of books during this time, but rest assured, we’ve saved some of the biggest guns for this year as we approach our 50th Discussion Group Meeting.  With that in mind, we’ve put our heads together and come up with a rough outline for the rest of 2012’s book selections.  I’ll leave it to our fearless Group leader to further elaborate on our plans. – Seth

SATURDAY, MARCH 24: Daredevil: Born Again collecting Daredevil # 227-233. In this collection Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli destroy Matt Murdock’s life!  This will be the third Mazzucchelli-illustrated book we’ve discussed.  If you haven’t read Born Again— you are in for a treat.  I mean just take a stare at the cover!!!

April:  Donald Duck Lost in the Andes.  Even if you’ve never read any of his books, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Carl Barks.  He is regarded as one of the all-time great cartoonists and this recent reprint from Fantagraphics is a perfect place for you to dive in and get your feathers wet.  This also marks the Discussion Group’s first foray into classic funny animals.  You won’t be disappointed!

May:  We need to do something really big–really major– before the convention.  What is bigger (and better?) than Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel Maus.  This truly belongs on the short list of must-read comics.  Read it (or read it again), join the discussion and brace yourself.

June:  We hope to have at least three Discussion Groups throughout the HeroesCon weekend.  Our goal is to discuss the particular books with the creators joining in.  Last year, the Darwyn Cooke-The Outfit Discussion and the Wednesday Comics Panel  were major highlights.  We promise we will do our level best to top them in 2012.  Watch this space!

And what about the next six months? Glad you asked.  Although these are tentative selections (based on whether the books remain in print), we hope to present: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, Cages by Dave McKean, Habibi by Craig Thompson and book-length works by Gilbert Hernandez and Canadian Cartooning Legend Seth (but which ones????)

Plan to join us– it’s fun, it’s no pressure, it’s a great way to spend part of a Saturday afternoon.  We’ll announce the specific dates for each discussion right here, so stay tuned, and we hope to see you there!