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!

My, how time flies! Can you believe that the Heroes Discussion Group is celebrating it’s 50th (that’s right, 50th!!) meeting already?!

Just a reminder that the next Heroes Discussion Group will take place on Saturday September 1st at 1:00pm.  We will be discussing the Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel MAUS by art spiegelman.

A few quick thoughts upon a second reading.

A couple of things I’d like to discuss with the group:

The use of the multiple narrators.  Is this the story of a survivor or the story of someone growing up with a survivor?  Is this truly a biography?  I don’t believe this is picking nits–we are affected by the way the story is told to us.  This is a topic that needs to be examined.

AND

(more…)

Just a quick reminder, join us on Saturday, March 24th at 1:00pm as we hunker down and discuss  Daredevil: Born Again collecting Daredevil # 227-233. by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli. If you have not read it before you are in for a treat!

Here are just a few of the topics we will discuss:

• What is it about Mazzuchelli’s art that sets it apart?
• Does the multiple narrator frame work succeed or detract?
• The God and Country/Armageddon Coda
• Ben Urich’s role in the finale two issues
• Sister Maggie
• How did this run on Daredevil affect Miller’s career as a writer/cartoonist?
• The lack of the patented Miller comic relief
• Murdock’s descent into madness
• An examination of the splash pages and the titles of each of the issues
• And lots more–there is quite a bit to talk about!!!

And as always, Born Again is available from Heroes with the special 10% Discussion Group discount.  Just be sure to remind the clerk as you check out!

See you Saturday, March 24th!

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!

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!)