1) Ultimate Comics X #5

Jeph Loeb and Art Adams continue their popular series this week.  Fans always clamor for new Art Adams comics, and though this doesn’t see print as quickly as many folks would like, you know it’s going to look great.  In addition to various x-characters, this issue also features both Sabretooth and the Hulk.

2) Scalped #50

One of comics’ most consistently rewarding series reaches a milestone this week with issue #50.  Joining creators Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera are Dean Haspiel, Denys Cowan, Igor Kordey, Timothy Truman, Jill Thompson, and more.  The issue also features two stories, one chronicling the bloody history of scalphunting, and the other focusing on the founding of the reservation that acts as the book’s primary setting.

3) Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #6

Since this book only sees print every other month I like to remind people of it once it’s released.  Allen Heinberg and Jim Cheung continue their story that is reintroducing the Scarlet Witch to the Marvel Universe.  This issue sees numerous Avengers and mutants finally confronting the Scarlet Witch for her previous atrocities (like House of M and Avengers: Disassembled).

4) Detective Comics #878

This issue wraps up the “Hungry City” story, and has Scott Snyder and Jock pitting Batman against smugglers and pirates.  In addition Snyder and Francesco Francavilla are on hand to continue their fine Commissioner Gordon backup features.  Just for the sake of repetition I’ll say it one more time: Batman vs. Pirates!

5) Incal: Classic Collection HC

American audiences can finally bask in the greatness of this long overdue, affordable hardcover edition of one of the legendary Moebius’ greatest works.  Alongside writer Alejandro Jodorowsky, this volume features over 300 pages of beautfiul, intricate art from Moebius.  There’s plenty to enjoy here, from aliens and monsters, to technological and architectural wonders.  Kudos to Humanoids Publishing for bringing this work back to print in such a fine manner.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Batman Incorporated #7, Daredevil Reborn HC, Walking Dead #86, The Iron Age #1, Creepy Comics #6, and Flashpoint titles (Project Superman, The Canterbury Cricket, and Hal Jordan).

1) Ultimate Spider-man #160

This final issue of the title features what Marvel is teasing as the true death of their Ultimate flagship character.  With a new character assuming the mantle and starting a new series later this year, this is arguably the biggest event to happen in the Ultimate universe.  With press coverage of this issue abounding this week, expect lots of non-regular customers to walk in the shop looking for this one.

2) Rocketeer Adventures #2

IDW’s tribute miniseries to Dave Stevens continues this week.  Issue two features an incredible lineup of creators paying homage to Stevens, including the likes of Darwyn Cooke, Geof Darrow, Mark Waid, Chris Weston, Dave Stewart, Gene Ha, and Alex Ross.  The great thing about this series is that all these creators clearly love and respect Stevens, and it shows in the work they are producing.

3) Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search #1

If you hadn’t heard, DC reintroduced Swamp Thing back into the non-Vertigo universe at the end of Brightest Day.  This three issue miniseries also brings John Constantine over and will deal with the characters in their new DCU roles.  What does this mean for the Vertigo line?  Will we see even more Vertigo characters start to transition back to the DCU? Perhaps this series will provide some answers.

4) Dark Horse Presents #2

This second issue of Dark Horse’s fabled anthology title features the likes of Paul Chadwick, Richard Corben, Howard Chaykin, Carla Speed McNeil, Michael T. Gilbert, Neal Adams, and a fantastic new story from Sanford Greene, plus several more.  That’s a lot of talented creators working on their own original material.  This is one book definitely worth picking up.

5)  Batman: Gates of Gotham #2

Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins, and Trever McCarthy continue their miniseries spotlighting the history of Gotham City, its’ founding fathers, and the legacy they left behind.  If you missed the first issue, this story is a unique combination of history, architecture, and the slow decay of a metropolitan city.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: The Mighty Thor #3, Guild: Bladezz one shot, Action Comics #902, Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #5, and X-men: Age of X HC.

1) Flashpoint titles

This week sees several new Flashpoint tie-in miniseries including Deadman and the Flying Graysons, Grodd of War, Legion of Doom, and Wonder Woman and the Furies. Read and find out how this bizarre mix of characters are different in the Flashpoint version of the DCU.

2) Captain America Corps #1

Roger Stern and Phillip Briones tell this tale of five Captain America characters united by a cosmic being in order to save America and the world from a large threat. Featuring two Captain Americas, U.S. Agent, and more, this one should have some appeal for fans of the upcoming film, as well as the Stern faithful among you.

3) Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #5

If you caught the Heroes Discussion Group panel at HeroesCon with creators Chris Roberson and Chrissie Zullo, you undoubtedly caught a glimpse as to why this series is as popular as it is. If you’re a Fables fan and haven’t yet picked this one up, you should definitely see what you’re missing. Also, we should take a quick moment to wish cover artist Chrissie Zullo well in her upcoming move to NewYork. She’s a talented artist and a good friend of Heroes, and we know she’s got even greater things ahead of her.  Good luck, Chrissie!

4) Graveyard of Empires #1

Mark Sable and Paul Azaceta bring us a modern horror tale fusing zombies with the atrocities of terrorism and war set against the backdrop of Afghanistan.  Azaceta was a recent guest at HeroesCon and I saw several pages from the series.  He’s a diverse artists who has tackled everything from Spider-man to B.P.R.D., and even more fantasy-based stories, and the pages I saw suggest he’s pushing himself into even new creative territories.  Pick up this book and support a talented artist deserving of more attention.

5) Alpha Flight #1

This issue kicks off an 8 issue maxi-series spinning out of Fear Itself.  This issue co-written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente and penciled by Dale Eaglesham features a fairly extensive sketchbook section and an interview with both Pak and Van Lente.  Not bad for a $3.99 book!

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Walking Dead TP vol. 14, Power Girl #25, Sixth Gun TP vol. 2, Kirby Genesis #1, and Hellboy Library Edition vol. 4.

It’s just a few days after HeroesCon ’11 and we’re all in recovery mode. We can’t thank you enough for helping us make this year’s Con one of our best! Now with a weekend of comics love behind us, it’s back to work for all of us. Here’s a few titles that you should consider in your shopping this week.

1) Congress of the Animals HC

The inimitable Jim Woodring follows up last year’s critically acclaimed Weathercraft with this latest Frank offering.  If you’re a fan of Woodring’s classic wordless comic, you already know you’ll enjoy this.  If you’re not that familiar with this respected artist, check out this book to see one of comics’ most unique artists at work.

2) Ghost Rider #0.1

Ghost Rider gets another series this week courtesy of Rob Williams and Matthew Clark. With a new Spirit of Vengeance set to take over the hellfire, check out this issue to see what that means for Johnny Blaze.

3) Mystery Men #1

Another series from Marvel’s early days sees print this week courtesy of writer David Liss and artist Patrick Zircher. Featuring characters called The Operative, Aviatrix, the Surgeon, the Revanent, and Achilles, this series builds on the recent popularity of nostaglia tales, but offers up an untold conspiracy tale from Marvel’s past.

4) Iron Age: Alpha #1

This new series from Rob Williams and Rebekah Isaacs focuses on the return of the Dark Phoenix. Her subsequent destruction of Earth forces Iron Man and other heroes to try to change that outcome by traveling through time.

5) Disney’s Mickey Mouse HC vol. 1 Death Valley

Without a doubt, this book is one that we at Heroes have been most looking forward to this year. Fantagraphics starts their collections of Floyd Gottfredson’s rarely reprinted Mickey strips this week.  Many forget that these strips were very much an adventure serial in their early years, and far removed from the simple cuteness of later animated efforts.  This first volume should be a welcome addition to the library of any collector of classic art and comic strips.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Dave McKean’s Celluloid, Flashpoint tie-ins galore! (Citizen Cold, Deathstroke, Emporer Aquaman, Frankenstein), Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Kilowog, Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Tomar Re.

With HeroesCon on the way next week all of us at Heroes are in full con mode, ready to make this year’s fun for all!  I’d like to remind you again that we still have tickets available, so if you haven’t picked yours up yet and want to get them before next week, we’ll be happy to help you over the phone or in the store.  Of course if you stop by the store, you might want to be aware of this week’s brand new comics, too.  Here are a few standouts that you might want to remember.

1) Strange Adventures #1

This is essentially an 80 page science fiction anthology from DC that features talent like Scott Snyder, Peter Milligan, and Jeff Lemire.  In addition to those creators, this issue features the debut of a new work from 100 Bullets alumni Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso called Spaceman that is said to be an upcoming series.  There’s also a cover from Paul Pope for those who enjoy awesome art.

2) Ducktales #1

We jump from science fiction to the world of classic cartoons with the debut issue of Ducktales.  After the popularity of books like Darkwing Duck and Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, Boom! Studios brings another animated series to comics, this time with creators Warren Spector and Miquel Pujol.  These titles all have a lot of fun energy in them, and I’m always interested in promoting books that remind us that comics are supposed to be fun.  Whether you were a fan of the Ducktales cartoon or just like the innocence of nostalgic comics, there’s a lot to enjoy with this book.

3) Kirby Genesis #0

Marvels creators Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross team up with artist Jack Herbert to bring some of Jack Kirby’s most famous non-Marvel or DC creations back to comics.  Curious as to how characters like Silver Star and Captain Victory might fit into today’s comics scene?  If so, this book should answer that question.  Also, one of this issue’s covers was provided by artist Ryan Sook, who you can meet next week at HeroesCon!

4)  Astonishing Spider-man/Wolverine #6

The teaser for the conclusion to this fun series from Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert mentions that Wolverine is supposed to be the new Dark Phoenix.  However they manage to do that, if this issue is anything like the previous five it should definitely be an enjoyable read.

5) Action Comics #901

On one hand it seems odd that so many concepts from the ’90’s are being brought back into comics these days. On the other hand, it has been almost twenty years since DC introduced Doomsday!  Now that we all feel a little older, fans of that era will want to pick up this week’s Action issue as Doomsday is back to plague the Superman universe courtesy of writer Paul Cornell and artist Kenneth Rocafort.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Walking Dead #85, Venom #3, Green Lantern #66, Mighty Thor #2, Detective Comics #877, and Marvels Project TP.

It’s a great week for new comics!  You’ll definitely want to stop by the store this week, and if you do make sure to pick up your HeroesCon tickets if you haven’t already.  We’re only a few weeks away from the big show, and all of us at Heroes hope you’re there to enjoy it with us!  Until then, on to the week’s new releases!

1) Rocketeer Adventures #1

IDW assembles a who’s who of popular creators to tell all new stories featuring the late great Dave Stevens’ most famous creation. This issue alone features contributions from the likes of Mike Allred, Kurt Busiek, John Cassaday, Michael Kaluta, Mike Mignola, and Jim Silke. I must say, that cover from Alex Ross also stands out as one of the finest pieces I’ve seen him paint in a while.

2) Batman: Gates of Gotham #1

This five issue series has garnered a good bit of advanced acclaim.  Scott Snyder has been building up a solid reputation on books like American Vampire and his recent run on Detective Comics.  Here he teams with co-writer Kyle Higgins and artist Trevor McCarthy to tell a story of Gotham City’s dark past.  Many creators have treated Gotham City like a character in Batman stories.  It should be interesting to see how this trio tells their own story of the city’s history and how it turned dark over time.

3) Alpha Flight #.1

A new Alpha Flight book is always a welcome sight for fans of the classic Canadian super team.  This  new title apparently spins out of Fear Itself, and features the fan favorite original lineup as interpreted by scribes Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, and artist Ben Oliver.

4) Liar’s Kiss HC

I’ve been hearing about this new graphic novel from Top Shelf for quite some time.  HeroesCon guest Eric Skillman not only wrote the book, but also designed it (along with Alec: The Years Have Pants, The Playwright, and numerous dvds for the Criterion Collection).  For this particular crime noir tale he teams with artist Jhomar Soriano.  The book has been building a lot of buzz, so make sure to check it out, then talk to Eric Skillman at HeroesCon in a few weeks!

5) Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #4/Ultimate Spider-man #158

Marvel’s Death of Spider-man stories in the Ultimate universe have been selling like crazy.  This week there are two more chapters in the story.  Marvel has already talked about how everything Ultimates will be changing over the next few months.  With all the recent titles all selling out and going to second printings, make sure to pick these up while you can!

>Bonus Picks of the Week: Hawkeye: Blind Spot #4, Snake Eyes #1, Hulk #33, Zatanna #13, and Chester Brown’s Paying For It.

Free Comic Book Day is over, and now we’re just a few short weeks away from HeroesCon 2011! If you didn’t get a chance to pick up your tickets on Saturday, we’ll still be selling them right up until the con.  Stop by the store or give us a call and we’ll make sure you get there!  On to this week’s new books!

1) Flashpoint #1

Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert kick off DC’s big summer event this week.  The interesting thing here for DC fans is that they’re not calling this an Elseworlds tale, but one where a villain alters the existing universe.  In the tradition Identity Crisis and other event books, there is a mystery element in this story regarding who is responsible for all the universe changes. Not unlike Marvel’s Age of X storyline, this series features very different versions of characters like Batman, Superman, and Cyborg.  DC has been building to this series for several months, and if you like where they’ve been heading you’ll undoubtedly want to pick this one up.

2) Mega Man #1

Charlotte’s own Ian Flynn has built a solid fan base in recent years for his work writing Sonic the Hedgehog.  Now he’s teaming up with artist Patrick Spaziante to bring the classic video game property to comics! Mega Man has always had something of a cult following, and the book will definitely appeal to kids too! Make sure you pick up a copy and support one of Charlotte’s fine local creators!

3) Hellboy: Being Human one shot

Mike Mignola reteams with veteran artist Richard Corben to tell a tale of Roger the Homunculus, witches, and zombies.  This issue is also an untold story from Roger’s early days with B.P.R.D. All of the Mignola/Corben Hellboy issues have been really enjoyable, so we can expect the same from this one.

4) Daredevil: Reborn #4

Andy Diggle and David Gianfelice wrap up their post-Shadowland Daredevil story this week. With Daredevil relaunching in July courtesy of Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Marcos Martin, it will be interesting to see if the Reborn miniseries wraps up some of the darker stories of recent years and starts the character off in a lighter direction.

5) Batman: Arkham City #1

DC enlisted writer Paul Dini and artist Carlos D’Anda this story filling in the time between the Batman: Arkham Asylum video game and the upcoming Batman: Arkham City game.  Though I never played the first game, I’m intrigued by DC’s use of comics to bridge the narrative gap between their non-comics properties.  Hopefully this marks the beginning of a trend where companies use their other entertainment ventures to lead people into comics shops.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Astonishing X-men #37, Chew #37, Black Panther: Man Without Fear #518, Cinderella: Fables Are Forver #4, and Flash #12.

Don’t forget that Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday! Make sure to stop by and pick up some of the industry’s great free offerings and get a few sketches from the talented comics pros we’ll have attendance. Two books we’re proud to be offering this year is DC’s Green Lantern Special Edition, which not only includes a Flashpoint preview, but also a snazzy HeroesCon banner on it! The other book you’ll definitely want to check out is Loose Ends, a fine southern crime book from 12 Gauge comics that was created by Charlotte artists Jason Latour, Chris Brunner, and Heroes’ own Rico Renzi! We’ll also be selling tickets for next month’s HeroesCon all day, so if you haven’t picked yours up yet make it a point to get them this Saturday! If you purchase your tickets Saturday, you’ll be able to choose a limited edition signed and numbered print from HeroesCons past. On to this week’s new releases!

1) Moon Knight #1

This week Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev start their take on Marvel’s vigilante with multiple personalities.  Apparently he’s relocated to the west coast and will begin assuming the personalities and traits of some of his Avengers cohorts. It should be interesting to see this creative pair take on one of Marvel’s odder heroes.

2) X-men: Prelude to Schism #1

The upcoming X-men: Schism miniseries from Jason Aaron and fan favorite artists like Frank Cho and Alan Davis is said to focus on the X-men dividing into separate camps over who should ultimately lead the mutants. A big throwdown between Wolverine and Cyclops will be a big part of the event, so see how the stage is set with this issue. This week’s prelude comes to you courtesy of Paul Jenkins and Robert De La Torre.

3) Stuff of Legend TP vol. 2: The Jungle

The acclaimed story of a band of loyal toys venturing forth to save their master continues in this second volume trade paperback. Featuring an interesting story from co-writers Mike Raicht and Brian Smith, and beautiful art from Charles Paul Wilson III, this book offers a unique twist on typical war stories, and has appeal for various kinds of readers.

4) Fear Itself #2

Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen return with the second issue of their Asgardian themed Marvel event. Tune in to this issue to see who might end up being a part of the Worthy and wield their own Serpent’s Hammer! See how the Marvel heroes deal with the God of Fear without the aid of Thor and the Asgardians!

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Captain America: First Vengeance #1, Fear Itself: Spider-man #1, Delirium’s Party: A Little Endless Storybook, and Brightest Day vol. 2 HC.

1) The Mighty Thor #1

Want to read something new that’s Thor-related before seeing the film next week?  The Thunder god gets a brand new title this week courtesy of regular series writer Matt Fraction and returning artist Olivier Coipel.  Fraction and Coipel appear to be starting the new title with a bang, as both the Silver Surfer and Galactus arrive in the Asgardian realm to wreck havoc.

2) Action Comics #900

Action Comics celebrates its’ milestone 900th issue with guest creators galore!  In addition to the regular creative team of Paul Cornell and Pete Woods, famed director Richard Donner, Lost creator Damon Lindelof, comic film scribe David Goyer, and HeroesCon ’11 guest Ryan Sook are all on hand for the celebration.  Plus, this issue includes what DC is calling “the ultimate Superman vs. Lex Luthor battle.”

3) Brightest Day #24

DC wraps up its’ Brightest Day series in a way that will inevitably build upon last issue’s revelations.  Wonder what’s going to happen to all the heroes who were resurrected after Blackest Night?  Still trying to figure out how Swamp Thing found his way back to DC Universe from Vertigo?  Curious about how the new champion of Earth will be chosen?  Check out this finale for answers to some of those questions and to find out where DC may be going next!

4) Avengers #12.1

Marvel continues its’ .1 initiative this week with the Avengers. These issues are perfect for jumping-on to a title without needing too much backstory.  This Brian Bendis and Bryan Hitch issue features the Avengers against lots of deadly Marvel villains, while also bringing the S.W.O.R.D. agency back to prominence.

5) Genius Isolated: Life and Art of Alex Toth HC

IDW releases the first in a trilogy of Alex Toth biographies this week.  Genius Isolated focuses on Toth’s early entries into animation, while documenting his personal story and how he developed his unique artistic philosophy.  The Eisner winning duo of Dean Mullaney and Bruce Canwell worked with Toth’s family to bring these biographies to life, and ending up finding many unpublished pages in the process.  This is a must have for art lovers and fans of comics history.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: RASL #10, FF #2, Flash #11, Justice League: Generation Lost #24 (the final issue!), Planet of the Apes #1, and Secret Avengers #’s 12 and 12.1.

1) Dark Horse Presents #1

Dark Horse’s fabled anthology gets a relaunch this week.  This inaugural issue features contributions from creators like Richard Corben, Neal Adams, Carla Speed McNeil, Howard Chaykin, and Harlan Ellison, along with a new Concrete story from Paul Chadwick and a preview of Frank Miller’s Xerxes, an upcoming prequel to 300.

2) Green Lantern #65/Green Lantern Corps #59

DC’s buildup to the Green Lantern film continues with the next two chapters in the “War of the Green Lanterns” storyline.  With Geoff Johns, Tony Bedard, Doug Mahnke, and Tyler Kirkham presiding, the Earth Lanterns face off against the rest of the Green Lantern Corps, with undoubtedly dramatic results.

3) Mister Wonderful HC

Daniel Clowes first ran this as a serial in the New York Times Magazine.  For those who never saw the original run, he’s brought it back in a nice new hardcover format.  If you were one who did manage to read the story in its’ first publication, you’ll be happy to know that Clowes added 40 pages of new material this time around.  Mister Wonderful could be considered a thematic bookend to last year’s Wilson, but there’s more humor and hope in this story than initially evident in Wilson.

4) Super Dinosaur #1

Robert Kirkman fans might want to check out this new title.  Kirkman co-created this new all ages book with Astounding Wolfman collaborator Jason Howard.  It follows the adventures of a kid named Derek Dynamo and a Tyrannosaurus Rex with mechanical arms.  Also worth noting is that Image is releasing a new Super Dinosaur story at Free Comic Book Day this year.  Stop by Heroes on Saturday, May 7 and pick one up!

5) S.H.I.E.L.D: Architects of Forever HC

The first volume of the acclaimed series from Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver finally sees print this week.  Whether you’re a Marvel history buff, or just interested in history in general, this series has something for you.  This book is unique among the plethora of superhero titles that see print every week.  It’s nigh impossible to find a book like this one that offers an intelligent look at how historical figures like Nikola Tesla and Isaac Newton fit into the Marvel Universe.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: Silver Surfer #3, Young Justice #3, Skaar: King of the Savage Land #2, Justice League of America #56, and Safe Area Gorazde Special Edition HC.