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!)

This Sunday Heroes celebrates the 35th Anniversary of the Charlotte MiniCon!  As part of the celebration we are honored to have artist Cliff Chiang appear as one of our featured guests.  Aside from being universally regarded as one of the nicest guys in the industry, Cliff’s also one of comics’ top illustrators.  Just take a look at DC’s new Wonder Woman series and you’ll see why.  We recently talked with Cliff about his appearance this weekend, and some of his recent work. Make sure to stop by the MiniCon this Sunday and welcome Cliff back to Charlotte!

Heroes (H):  Your collaboration with Brian Azzarello dates back to your time as an editor of 100 Bullets and your work together on DC’s excellent Doctor 13 stories.  What made Wonder Woman seem like the natural next step in your collaboration?

Cliff Chiang (CC): I’d been itching to work with Azz again ever since Doctor 13, but I had some longer projects that delayed those plans. When Azz called me about Wonder Woman, I realized it was a great opportunity to be creative and confuse people at the same time! I was in.

CC: As long as they’ll have us. We have some long term plans for the story, and I’d love to be able to see them though.

CC: We’ve got the exclusive MiniCon screenprint by me and Dustin Harbin, for a measly $10! Hopefully, I’ll get another image done for HeroesCon later this year. So much to do!

H: We’re glad you mentioned that! We’re happy that you’ll be back in Charlotte for HeroesCon this summer to help us celebrate our 30th anniversary.

Super (Fly) Mario for the What Not Blog

H: Whose idea was the What Not Blog?

CC: I think it was Reverend Dave Johnson’s brainchild. It’s inspiring to see such a diverse group of artists just messing around like that.

H: Where do you guys find the time to do these fully realized illustrations on top of your paying work?!

CC: It can be hard, but it is a lot of fun. I probably should do less-finished stuff and post more often, but sometimes I love an idea and wanna show some more care.

H: Finally, what are some of the comics that you’re most looking forward to seeing in 2012?

CC: Two things I’m looking forward to in 2012 are the conclusion to Loose Ends (I did not pay him to say that. -rico.) and the print version of Robbi Rodriguez’s Frankie Get Your Gun.

Thanks to Cliff for taking time to answer a few questions.  You can meet him and a slew of other great artists this Sunday at the 35th Anniversary of the Charlotte MiniCon!

Check out Cliff’s website and follow him on Twitter @CliffChiang

Hi, I’m Heather, long time reader and first time contributor to the Heroes Blog. You may recognize me from the Info Booth at HeroesCon or from my photography here on the blog and Flickr.  You may have also seen me around the store with my new husband, Seth Peagler, Heroes’ Warehouse Manager. I’ll be digging through all the goodness that is the Previews Catalog bringing you things that the staff and I think look interesting .

B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth: The Pickens County Horror #1: Dark Horse brings us a new chapter in the paranormal agency’s fight against evil with this two part mini-series.  Vampires have been notably absent in the world of Hellboy, and this title will reveal their history focusing on a Gothic Southern clan dealing with the fallout of hell on Earth.  With covers by Becky Cloonan and Mike Mignola this scary title is co-written by Mignola and Scott Allie.  Even better, Charlotte’s own Jason Latour is the interior artist!  (page 34-35)

Fairest #1: While one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Adam Hughes’ wraparound cover is so full of beauty that it alone is enough to entice many readers.  Writer and creator Bill Willingham introduces a new series in the popular Fables universe focusing on the women of the fairy tale world.  With art by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning, the first arc focuses on Briar Rose with promised arcs centering on other characters like Rapunzel and Snow White to follow. (page 140 as well as the front cover) (more…)

If superhero books in 2011 largely focused on both sweeping company-wide changes and numerous relaunches, what can we say about indie and genre books of the recently past year?  A few years ago the industry was rightly blown away by the genius work of David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp.  2011 didn’t necessarily have a single book that was hands down an instant classic, but if you had to choose one book that impacted the industry, it was Love and Rockets: New Stories volume 4.  Jaime Hernandez has been telling the story of Maggie and her friends in real time for over 30 years, always entertaining us with how he has chosen to develop his characters, always impressing us with his ever-focused art.  Volume 4 was one of the first times I can remember where creators and fans were open about how emotionally moved they were by a comic.  This is a tribute to Hernandez’s ability to tell stories that are not only practical and appropriate, but also unafraid to themselves be actively emotional in an unforced way.  If you’ve not experienced Love and Rockets before, you are doing yourself a great disservice.  This is genuinely one of the finest comics of 2011.

Elsewhere in “Indie” books of 2011 we saw the long awaited release of Craig Thompson’s Habibi.  A book nearly 8 years in the making, Habibi was a powerful statement from an artist who has spent his career constantly pushing his own boundaries and the boundaries of the comics form.  Standing tall at over 650 pages, Habibi exemplifies the work of a still hungry artist who is not content to fall into repeating patterns.  While Habibi was rightly controversial, any person would be hard pressed to walk away from reading the book without a greater sense of respect for Thompson as a creator and the potential of comics as a whole.

Unlike Thompson, Dan Clowes is an artist who has regularly released new comics every few years.  2011 was one of Clowes’ most prolific years to date.  Following up 2010’s acclaimed Wilson, Clowes offered up Mister Wonderful, which can be seen as a bookend of sorts to Wilson, or perhaps the flip side of the Wilson coin.  In addition to Mister Wonderful, Clowes released a deluxe, expanded version of his classic The Death-Ray, which contains one of the most interesting explorations of the superhero genre we’ve seen from a non-superhero artist.

Big Questions was finally released in a single format this past year.  Collecting all ten years and 600+ pages of work from Anders Nilsen, Big Questions is a great example of an artist’s development over a decade.  It’s also one of modern comics finest examples of the employment of fable as a commentary on humanity.  Nilsen’s magnum opus was always well received as it was released in single issue format, but there’s something about seeing and experiencing the completed book in a single published volume that makes you realize how significant the book is to comics of the past decade.

On the non-Indie genre side of things, one of the biggest stories of 2011 was the success of AMC’s Walking Dead t.v. series.  What does a t.v. show have to do with comics in 2011?  Suffice to say, the television adaptation and reworking of Image’s Walking Dead comic brought lots of new readers into comic shops, many undoubtedly for the first time.  I’m still surprised when someone comes into the store to buy a gift for a niece or nephew, sees a Walking Dead collection, and remarks ‘Wow, they made a comic of the show?’  Numerous people who realized the comics came first have subsequently made return trips to the store to continue reading Robert Kirkman’s monthly comics.  The Walking Dead phenomenon has brought up some interesting prospects for television and comics, and how the two mediums can work together to inform new audiences.

One of 2011’s other significant genre happenings had to be Mike Mignola’s decision to kill off his ever popular character Hellboy.  While Hellboy will continue in 2012 in the Mignola-penned and illustrated “Hellboy in Hell” storyline, the creator has spoken about how important it is to allow characters and stories to develop, change, and grow over time.  He has always made a point of stating that when characters in his books die, they stay dead.  It’s a testament to Mignola that he works hard to eschew creative stagnation by allowing ideas and themes to run their course.  One need only look at Mignola’s numerous other properties like B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, and the Amazing Screw On Head to see that his work always operates within this dictum.  Fans have been clamoring for more Amazing Screw On Head stories,but he won’t make them because he feels that he already achieved what he hoped to within the one book.  These books are also exemplary of how Mignola surrounds himself with quality storytellers and lets the characters progress in their natural state.  When a creator cares more about staying true to his characters and stories than he does about regurgitating material, the industry is all the better for it.

As with my post about superhero comics in 2011, there were just far too many indie and genre books to talk about here.  Many others made a big impact on readers and the industry as a whole.  So, what indie and genre books from 2011 really impressed you?  Did you discover a new creator whose works you’ve gone on to seek out?  With 2012 just starting, are there any big indie or genre books coming out this year that you’re excited about?  This is your blog too, and we’d love to hear your thoughts!

It recently dawned on me that I’ve written almost every Spotlight on New Releases column since July of 2010.  That’s almost a year and 1/2 of writing about new comics every week for readers of our Heroes Blog.  The biggest lesson I’ve gleaned from this experience is the idea that as a comics reader and critic it’s really important to maintain one’s joy and passion for our industry and hopefully encourage the same in our readers and customers.

Every week there are hundreds of books released, and there won’t always be something groundbreaking or revolutionary hitting the stands.  However, there are always books throughout a given month that entertain us or encourage us to think beyond the scope of our personal experience.  As readers it’s no crime to comment on things we wish were better in comics.  In fact, if you’ve been reading a title or following a character for a few decades, you have a lot invested in comics and should speak your mind.  Let’s remember that we all participate in a truly unique medium where on a weekly basis the opportunity still exists for us to be reminded of the inherent joy that exists within the pages of a comic book.  So with that thought, here are a few things about DC and Marvel comics in 2011 that I believe warrant reflection.

It would be wrong to talk about 2011 without first mentioning the DC reboot.  A gamble on many fronts, DC really took a chance when they decided to restart all of their titles.  The reality of the situation is that DC needed to do something different to try to increase their sales after years of turning in numbers behind Marvel.  They did garner lots of national media coverage for their event, and we did see many new faces excited about comics find their way into our store.  There have already been some concerns about how DC would be maintaining the quality and regularity of creative teams and storylines, but that’s to be expected.  Like it or not, the company did manage to refurbish some of their properties, and whether or not you agree with the strategy or enjoy some of the books, some really entertaining comics were produced.  In Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, Justice League brought two fan favorite creators to the biggest of books and did so with a wide-reaching effect. Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman reminded many of us that this is a character who deserves to have talented creators working hard to tell her stories, and that when they do, good comics are inevitable.  Other books like Animal Man and Swamp Thing found a nice balance between horror and mainstream comics, and continue to build toward memorable stories.  The goal for everyone is to see DC do well, have strong creators on titles, and bring in new readership.  If this happens, everyone can benefit.

Marvel Comics had a bit of an unusual year.  DC clearly grabbed the most headlines for their reboot, but Marvel always seems to have a longterm plan, and certainly has multiple film properties to capitalize upon.  Like DC they offered up several new #1 issues with the goal of reaching new readership.  In some cases, as with Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Marcos Martin’s Daredevil #1, Marvel found a solid creative team who managed to tell some great stories by steering the character away from his typical grim and gritty fare, and back toward some of his more swashbuckling roots.  No, this isn’t a reinvention of the wheel, but it is a good, fun comic that more and more readers are starting to enjoy.

Marvel probably grabbed their biggest headlines with their controversial decision to kill of the Ultimate version of Peter Parker/Spider-man.  Regardless of what you think of this decision, the idea that they then introduced a new Spider-man who might reach a wider range of readers is an exciting prospect.  If comics can’t reach a new, young readership base then the industry will continue to change in increasingly dramatic ways over the next decade.  The effort to gain new readers is also a reason for this year’s breaking of the X-men into two separate schools of thought.  With a lineup in Uncanny X-men consisting of darker, more villainous characters like Magneto, Namor, Emma Frost, and a Juggernaut-powered Colossus, and a younger, more lively bunch of mutants being headmastered by Wolverine in Wolverine and the X-men, Marvel has offered up two distinct X books for readers with very different sensibilities.  The latter has also given us some of the year’s most entertaining superhero comics, and has offered writer Jason Aaron an opportunity to explore a different kind of book than he has previously written.  By the same token, with Uncanny X-force Marvel has maintained and grown a steadfast audience for a mutant-centric book that doesn’t quite read or look like X-titles of the past.

Whatever you might take away from comics in 2011, it’s worth noting that like with almost anything in art there can be strong, entertaining possibilities if you look hard enough.  If you find a comic that moves you or offers up great escapism, support it by buying it and encouraging your friends to give it a try.  If you’re unhappy with a book you might have read for a long time, don’t be afraid to put it down for awhile and look for something new.  There are plenty of  books well worth your time and money.  The important thing to me is that we all do our best to try to be positive about our industry, encourage new readership, and support writers and artists who are focused on producing quality comics.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg.  Both companies had plenty more worth mentioning this year, and we’d like to hear from you about what you think.  What DC or Marvel books really impressed you this year?  What book did you buyon a whim and then proceed to pick up every month thereafter?  What are some things in 2012 that you’d like to see, or might be looking forward to?

2011: What a great year for the Heroes Discussion Group! In one ten month period February to November, we tackled Death of Speedy, Sandman: Endless Nights, Ghost World, Superman Earth One, Parker: The Outfit, Wednesday Comics, Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love, Daytripper and Jimmy Corrigan!  It’s hard for me to to pick a personal favorite discussion but (after review) I am leaning towards the afternoon that Jimmy Corrigan reared his round head.

So, how do we start 2012?  On the weekend of the Feast of the Epiphany, let’s do the those star following Magi one better than Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh by presenting 4 gifts–The entire four volume Planetary by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday.  This is a book that creates some serious division amongst comic readers.

Many love Ellis’ work; many do not.

A large number of readers are intrigued by the conceit behind Planetary; some view it as an attack on some of our beloved superhero archetypes.

But there is more than one way to approach this world that Ellis and Cassaday have carefully constructed?

So, there is only one thing to do–talk about it.  I promise you this; it is an exciting read; even if your feathers get a bit ruffled, Planetary is certainly worth your time.

Serving Suggestion: Perhaps Planetary can be approached as a 20th Century Superhero take on  the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  (And that incredible art alone is worth the price of admission).  Please plan to join us on Saturday January 7th at 1:00pm as we will tackle all four volumes of Planetary.  After the discussion, we want to hear your recommendations for the 2012 Discussion groups.  All of the Planetary volumes (including the enormous, beautiful omnibi (I know, I know)) are available from Heroes with the 10% Discussion Group Discount.  As usual, be sure to mention the discount to your clerk as they are ringing up your order.

We can’t wait to see you!

In 2000, The Comics Journal published a list of the Top 100 American Comics of the 20^th Century.  Coming in at # 24, 22 and 17 are three works by Jaime Hernandez.  Originally published in the Comic Magazine Love and Rockets in tandem with the comics of his superbly talented brother Gilbert, these three selections, Flies on the Ceiling, The Death of Speedy and Wig Wam Bam represent some of the most influential and critically lauded comics of the past few decades.

Plan to join the Heroes Discussion Group on Saturday November 19^th at 1:00pm as we tackle the second Jaime Hernández trade paperback The Girls from H.O.P.P.E.R.S. We will discuss the entire collection but we will concentrate on Death of Speedy and Flies on the Ceiling. (Wig Wam Bam is in the following volume and we will just have to tackle it another day!)

For those of you who have read Jaime’s work, you know what to expect—wonderful art and rich rewarding story-telling.  In other words, it is sequential art at its best.  For those of you who are reading for the first time, I envy you.  One suggestion—read it slowly.  The fresh, clean line art and simple page construction makes it easy for the reader to fly through each page.  When you catch yourself sailing through, take a step back (or look again), as there is a lot there.  The fact that Jaime makes it seem effortless is part of the comic’s charm.

The Girls from H.O.P.P.E.R.S. is available from Heroes for $14.95 and don’t forget the Heroes Discussion Group 10% Discount—you must notify the clerk about the discount when you check out.

Note:  for anyone reading the stories in the LOCAS HC collection, start with House of Raging Women and continue on through Below My Window Lurks My Head.

Enjoy! And we will see you on the 19^th!

Image by Alex Kropinak, text by Sean T. Collins, originally posted on Robot6

Sandman: Endless Nights

While I was preparing for our 6th Heroes Discussion Group which featured Sandman: Seasons of the Mist, I pondered whether Sandman was the most influential comic book of the last thirty years. Four years and twenty eight discussions later, I believe it to be true.  Do you agree?

For Halloween, please plan to join us for our 35^th Discussion group as we revisit Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series with the stand-alone anthology, Sandman: Endless Nights.

The afternoon will be rather exciting for a number of reasons, namely:

• This will be the first anthology we’ve tackled.
• We will examine the concept of comic book anthologies.
• Which stories worked and which did not.
• The differences (and similarities) between the realms of Despair and Delirium.
• How does Neil Gaiman adjust his storytelling to match the strengths of each artist he employs?
• Does this anthology work as a complete book or is it simply a group of stories about related characters?
• With a generation and a half of influence behind it, have Gaiman’s characters and concepts stood the test of time?

For those of you who have never read Sandman, I believe you are in for a treat.

Many love Gaiman’s comic work; but he has some very strong minded and vocal detractors.

Why not read the book, stop by the store on Saturday October 22^nd at 1:00pm and add your two cents to the mix?  We’d love to see you!

One thing is for certain; I promise you will not be bored.

And remember—just around the corner we have Love & Rockets followed by Planetary.

As usual, Heroes is offering a special 10% Discussion Group discount on Sandman: Endless Nights, but remember to mention it to the store clerk when you check out!

See you there!

     Don’t forget that this Saturday, August 13 we’ll be hosting our first discussion group since HeroesCon, and are kicking things off with a doozy!  Be at the store at 1 p.m. this Saturday as our fearless Discussion Group leader Andy Mansell leads us through Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s V for Vendetta.  This book was highly influential on comics readers when it debuted in the ’80’s, and remains a relevant work in the post 9/11 world.  Just why does this Thatcher era comic still matter to us today?  Is it only a political comic, or is this just another classic example of Moore’s use of analogy?  If this book is meant to symbolize something beyond the political and cultural landscape of the era in which it was produced, what might it be?  Join Andy for an enlightening examination of a true comics classic.  See you on Saturday!

In the post 9/11 world, what is more important freedom or safety?  Imagine how your attitude could change as you get older and have children? V for Vendetta tackles all of these tough concepts and does it in an extremely entertaining and exciting way. How does the Reagan/Thatcher era play out to today’s reading audiences? But let’s put politics aside (good luck with that) and just focus on the comic itself.  Writer Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd are both at the top of their game and it is up to us to examine this masterpiece of comic art.

• OK, for September (watch this space for scheduled dates and times) — we will sit down to discuss Dan Clowes’ fabulous coming-of-age graphic novel Ghost World. After we’ve dissected the book, we will re-group in the store and watch the movie adaptation.  We did this once before a few years ago for Persepolis and it resulted in one of our best discussions.

We look forward to seeing you.  If you’ve never been to one of the discussions, please consider joining us.  If you come, there is no pressure to participate.  All we ask is that you read the assigned book (and once in a while, see the assigned movie) before the meeting and as always bring an open mind.