CGC to offer ON-SITE GRADING at the 2024 HeroesCon!!

For the first time in more than four years, CGC will be offering on-site grading for comic books! Submit your comics for on-site grading at booth #101, June 14-15 (plus we’ll be accepting a limited number of WalkThrough submissions until noon on June 16), and get them back before the end of the show. Read on for pricing and more details.

Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) is excited to announce on-site comic book grading at Heroes Convention Charlotte, in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 14-16, 2024. That’s right, get your books back by the end of the show!

Regular submissions of comics, cards, video games and home video collectibles will also be accepted, and collectors can look forward to giveaways, swag and signings — all at booth #101!

About HeroesCon

The Heroes Convention (“HeroesCon”) has gained renown for its emphasis on comics and its welcoming environment for all ages. It offers a unique opportunity for fans to engage directly with industry professionals and exhibitors, with a stellar lineup of guests like John Beatty, Mark Buckingham, Amy Chu and Skottie Young and MANY MORE!

Submit comics for on-site grading

CGC is offering on-site grading at this year’s HeroesCon for all Universal and Signature Series comic book submissions. On-site grading, including ReHolder submissions, will be available Friday, June 14, through Saturday, June 15. A very limited quantity of WalkThrough submissions will still be accepted on Sunday, June 16, until 12:00 p.m. All you need is a free CGC account to submit for on-site grading, but paid members receive discounts (and other benefits). Learn more and select your membership level here.

On-site grading submissions are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. CGC expects extremely high demand and space is limited, so submitters are encouraged to submit at the start of the show. If on-site grading submissions need to be cut off early, submissions will still be accepted for grading at CGC headquarters at the regular fees and turnaround times.

In the next few weeks, the CGC online submission form will be updated to show on-site grading services and fees at HeroesCon. Look for an announcement when the on-site grading submission option is available.

CGC Comics On-site Grading Free Member Pricing:

CGC Comics Signature Series On-site Grading Free Member Pricing:

Fun at the CGC booth

Fans also won’t want to miss lots of fun happening at CGC booth #101 all weekend long! In addition to our popular pin giveaway, we will have the limited-edition 2024 pins to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Wolverine and the 85th anniversary of Batman. Plus, we’ll be offering giveaway prize opportunities! Stay tuned for further email and social announcements about giveaway opportunities leading up to the show.

Looking to get books signed?

Be sure to get your books prepped with the updated CGC Signature Series online submission form to save you a lot of time at the show! Watch this short video to learn how to get this process started:https://www.youtube.com/embed/B8MyOvl0hFY?si=8MVpzuHCCA7xGerg

Preparing submissions for the show

To spend more time enjoying the show, submit your prepared collectibles through the Express Drop-off Service, which enables you to skip the line and quickly hand off your prepared submission to a CGC representative.

Please take the following steps before arriving:

1. Create a CGC account here. All it takes is a free account to submit, and paid members get additional discounts and benefits.
2. Go to the online submission form for comics, cards, video games or home video.
3. Select “Mail-In or Show Drop-Off” to start your submission.
4. Complete the submission form and print the packing slips.
5. Keep your collectibles safe and secure until you drop off your submission (including the packing slip) with a representative.
6. Go to the Express Drop-off sign to finalize your submission.

All submissions will be transported to CGC’s headquarters in Sarasota, Florida, for authentication, grading and encapsulation.

• To learn more about CGC services and fees for comics, click here.
• To learn more about CGC services and fees for cards, click here.
• To learn more about CGC services and fees for video games, click here.
• To learn more about CGC services and fees for home video, click here.

Tablets will be provided at the booth for submitters to use for sign-up and submission purposes.

Need more info?

• Questions for CGC Comics should be sent to [email protected].
• Questions for CGC Cards should be sent to [email protected].
• Questions for CGC Video Games should be sent to [email protected].
• Questions for CGC Home Video should be sent to [email protected].

All CGC services can be reached at (+1) 855-GRADE10 (855-472-3310).

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, blu-ray and more.

Read more: https://www.cgccomics.com/news/article/12813/heroescon-2024/

ANDREW MACLEAN

AUTHOR, ARTIST & CREATOR OF “SNARLAGON”,
“HEADLOPPER”, & “APOCALYPTIGIRL”

IN-STORE SIGNING

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30

1PM-3PM & 5PM-7PM

Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find is honored to be the FIRST OFFICIAL STOP on the SNARLAGON ROAD TOUR, Wednesday, August 30!

Andrew will be signing from 1PM-3PM, and again from 5PM-7PM.

Click or scan the QR Code for more info about the SNARLAGON ROAD TOUR!

WHAT IS SNARLAGON?

From Andrew’s Website:

Snarlagon is a 48-page (approx.) graphic novella. It is my love letter to all the old kaiju movies that I absolutely adore. Packed with city-stomping kaiju action and high stakes human shenanigans, this creature feature satire is fun, quirky, and exciting! And it is only $10.

View the SNARLAGON Kickstarter HERE

Don’t forget to check out Andrew’s other creations ApocalyptiGirl, Headlopper, and the New “Godzilla: War For Humanity”!

#AndrewMacLean #SNARLAGON #SnarlagonRoadTour #HeadLopper #ApocalypticGirl #InStoreSigning #UnderTheWaterTower #ReadMoreComics

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Blumenthal Performing Arts Present:

SPIDER-MAN:
Into the Spider-Verse
LIVE IN CONCERT!

Friday, September 1, 2023

The Belk Theater

130 North Tryon Street , Charlotte, NC 28202
704.372.1000

From The Blumenthal Website:
Featuring a soundtrack that blends symphonic orchestral music with hip-hop, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Live in Concert pairs a screening of the Academy Award®-winning animated film with live musicians and turntables featuring a DJ scratcher live on stage. Emmy® winner Daniel Pemberton composed a sprawling score of boundary-pushing original music that is complimented with song contributions by Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jaden Smith, and Nicki Minaj. The hip-hop based score results in a sonic universe that is woven throughout the fabric of the film, supporting its themes of resilience and universal heroism.

READ MORE ABOUT THE EVENT, and the BELK THEATER HERE!

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!
Click the QR Code above to to book your tickets to this ONE-NIGHT ONLY EVENT, and use the Promo Code “COMICFAN” to get 25% the regular ticket price!

Tickets range from $29.50 – $89.50 before discount.

#SpiderMan #IntoTheSpiderVerse #IntoTheSpiderVerseInConcert #BlumenthalPerformingArts

This is an unpaid promotion and is not endorsed or sponsored by
Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023!
Saturday, May 6

Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find will celebrate
#FreeComicBookDay
Saturday, May 6th :: 10AM-7PM

We hope you all know that the 2023 HeroesCon is right around the corner, June 16-18 at the Charlotte Convention Center.

We’ve been working harder than ever to make this year’s HeroesCon our best yet!
There are still dozens of amazing guests to announce, Artist Alley listing to post, and MORE!
So make sure to purchase your three day passes today!

Before we get to the HeroesCon festivities, we’ll be hosting Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 6. The store will be open regular hours that day from 10am – 7pm, with a small but spectacular group of Artists joining us from 1pm-5pm doing sketches!

Artists joining us for this year’s FCBD:
Frank Antonio
John Burgin
Sanford Greene
John Hairston Jr.
Tony Harris
Mayday Trippe
Glenn Urieta

As with last year, we will have limited quantities of available on the designated free comics.

This year’s FCBD titles are:

FCBD 2023 2000 AD PRESENTS THE BEST COMIC EVER
FCBD 2023 ARCHIE HORROR PRESENTS CURSED LIBRARY
FCBD 2023 FRAZETTAVERSE #0
FCBD 2023 INVESTIGATORS ALL TIDE UP SNEAK PEEK
FCBD 2023 MADBALLS VS GARBAGE PAIL KIDS #0
FCBD 2023 PUNCH UP! PREVIEW
FCBD 2023 RANGER ACADEMY PREVIEW
FCBD 2023 RED SONJA SHE DEVIL WITH A SWORD #0
FCBD 2023 SEISMIC STORIES
FCBD 2023 SMURFS #1
FCBD 2023 STAR WARS HIGH REPUB ADVS & AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER
FCBD 2023 SWEET VALLEY TWINS TEACHERS PET SAMPLER
FCBD 2023 TOM HOLLANDS FRIGHT NIGHT #1 FCBD EDITION
FCBD 2023 UMBRELLA ACADEMY & WITCHER

If you are a reserve customer who would like to reserve any of these titles, please send an email to [email protected] by no later than Thursday, May 4.
We’ll do our best to fulfill each request, but please remember that quantities are very limited.

Everyone who comes into the store on that day will have the option of picking several different titles while supplies last. We’ll have staff on hand to help navigate the proceedings. As in years past, taking multiple copies of the same title will be prohibited. We’re happy to have Free Comic Book Day back again, but want to make sure we have comics for as many customers as possible. 

Free Comic Book Day will be lots of fun for everyone, and a great way to kick off HeroesCon season!

As always, we appreciate your enthusiasm and continued support!

The Charlotte Mini-Con Returns
Saturday, February 4, 2023

The Charlotte Mini-Con will return to the Grady Cole Center on February 4, 2023.

Featuring some of the ABSOLUTE BEST Vintage Comic-Book Dealers
in the country selling a wide variety of Gold, Silver, Bronze and
Modern Comic Books, as well as a small, but SPECTACULAR, Artist Alley
and Artist Annex!

Tickets are $5 in advance or FREE with the purchase of ANY HeroesCon 2023 3-Day Advance Pass!

Children 16 Years of age and under get in for FREE with a paying adult!

— THERE IS A $10 PARKING FEE AT THE GRADY COLE CENTER —
Parking fees are not included in ticket purchase

We recommend carpooling, or taking a Lyft or an Uber.
You might also consider taking advantage of the Light Rail CityLynx Gold Line.
There is a walkable stop located at CPCC: See More Info About the Gold Line Here

See a full list of Featured Guests, Artist Annex and Exhibitors on our website at:

https://www.heroesonline.com/CLT-Mini-Con/

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

The Heroes Convention returns to Father’s Day Weekend this June 16-18!
3-Day Advance Tickets, as well as Artist Alley Tables are on sale NOW!

For our 2023 show, we are offering TWO OPTIONS of 3-Day Advance Tickets!

____________________________________

Option 1: VIP* 3-Day Advance Pass – $100

This is a NEW ticket option for our 2023 Convention, and is limited to only 300 TICKETS!

The VIP* 3-Day Advance Pass includes:

• 30-Minute Early Entry to the Heroes Convention All Three Days
• HeroesCon 2023 T-Shirt in Choice of Size (S-4X)
• HeroesCon 2023 Commemorative Badge w/Lanyard
• HeroesCon 2023 Exclusive Print
• FREE Entry to the Charlotte Mini-Con, February 4, 2023 at the Grady Cole Center

____________________________________

Option 2: 3-Day Advance Pass – $65

3-Day Advance Pass includes:

• Saves $35 over 3 Day-Of Ticket Purchases
• 3-Day Pass Holders will be allowed into the Heroes Convention immediately after VIP* 3-Day Pass Holders, and BEFORE Day-Of Ticket Holders All Three Days
• FREE Entry to the Charlotte Mini-Con, February 4, 2023 at the Grady Cole Center

____________________________________

Single-day tickets are only available at the door.

• FRIDAY ONLY – $35.00
• SATURDAY ONLY – $35.00
• SUNDAY ONLY – $30.00

Children 16 Years of Age and Under will get in FREE with a Paying Adult.
Paying adult MUST BE PRESENT for 16 & Under FREE TICKET to be distributed. Student or State ID may be requested for children 13-16 who appear older. FREE TICKET does NOT INCLUDE any incentives.

____________________________________

HEROESCON 2023 :: ARTIST ALLEY TABLE – $325

ARTIST ALLEY TABLE INCLUDES:

• ONE – 6′ Artist Alley Table
• TWO chairs, and TWO Artist Alley Passes for the Convention
  
  You may add ONE Additional Chair + Pass per table for $75.00
  Artist Alley Tables are LIMITED to TWO TABLES per Reservation

Artist Alley Tables from our 2020/2021 show that were unable to attend our 2022 Heroes Convention have transferred to the 2023 Heroes Convention.

Table space is limited and will sell out quickly, reserve your table TODAY!

____________________________________

HEROESCON 2023 EXHIBITORS:
Booth spaces at the 2023 Heroes Convention are over 3/4 sold out! If you are a vendor looking to reserve a 10’x10′ or larger booth space at the 2023 Heroes Convention, please email [email protected] to get an application along with a map of available booth spaces at our 2023 show.

____________________________________

HeroesCon Featured Guest Announcements, Artist Alley Table Listings, and Exhibitor Booth Listings will all be published very soon! Stay up to date by signing up for our weekly NEWSLETTER, and follow us on social media @HeroesOnline!

TASCHEN and Marvel Entertainment Announce ‘The Marvel Comics Library’;
Fantastic Four Vol. 1. 1961–1963

Famous First Edition: First printing of 5,000 numbered copies

In 1961 Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created The Fantastic Four—a powerhouse super hero team revolutionary for their flaws and complexity—that kicked the comic industry into high gear. This XXL volume from the Eisner Award-winning series reproduces the Four’s first 20 stories and charts how it became in Lee’s words “the world’s greatest comic magazine.”

The First Family of the Marvel Age

The ultimate collection of the world’s greatest comic magazine

Hoping to break out of a sales slump at Marvel in the early 1960s, veteran comic creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby hit on the idea of doing a super team. Kirby, who thought superheroes were due for a revival after 15 years of being pushed aside by romance, horror, and war comics, saw it as smart business. Lee just once wanted to “do the type of story I myself would enjoy reading.” The Fantastic Four forever changed their careers, their lives, and the comic book industry.

Some of the most iconic moments in Marvel history are here, starting with Reed Richards, his girlfriend Sue Storm, his best friend Ben Grimm, and her little brother Johnny Storm crash landing their rocket after it has been hit cosmic rays and discovering they have been transformed into Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Thing, and the Human Torch in issue No. 1. They were emotionally complex characters, who weren’t always sure whether their powers were a benefit or burden. Stories were set in New York City, not some fictional stand-in, and Marvel heroes regularly crossed over into each other’s books. The art was dynamic and the writing conversational and engaging. Lee and Kirby were like the Lennon and McCartney of comic books. Where the talents of one ended and the other began was not always clear, but together one plus one equaled three.

Collected here in an XXL-size volume are the first 20 issues reproduced from the most pristine pedigreed original comics, which were cracked open and photographed in close collaboration with Marvel and the Certified Guaranty Company.

Featured alongside the comics is an in-depth essay by acclaimed Marvel writer Mark Waid, a foreword by former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, and original art, photographs, and other rarities. Welcome true believers to the Marvel Age of Comics.

The author

Mark Waid is a New York Times best-selling author who has written nearly two thousand comics and graphic novels over the course of his career. He has penned adventures for dozens of characters including Superman, Batman, the X-Men, Archie, and the Fantastic Four.

The contributing author

Mike Massimino, Ph.D, is a former NASA Astronaut who flew twice on the Space Shuttle to service the Hubble Space Telescope. He is a New York Times bestselling author, a Columbia University professor, an advisor at The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, a television host and expert commentator, and a motivational speaker.

The artists

Stan Lee (1922–2018) is known to millions as the man whose super heroes propelled Marvel to its preeminent position in the comic book industry. His co-creations include Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and hundreds of others. While the Chairman Emeritus of Marvel, he was also the Chief Creative Officer of POW! Entertainment, where he created numerous new characters and stories in areas including publishing, film, TV reality, stage, documentary, and multimedia.

Jack Kirby (1917–1994) was one of comics’ most legendary and prolific artists whose notable co-creations include Captain America, Avengers, X-Men, Incredible Hulk, Ant-Man, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Thor.

Marvel Comics Library. Fantastic Four. Vol. 1. 1961–1963

Famous First Edition: First printing of 5,000 numbered copies

Mark Waid, Mike Massimino, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

ABOUT THE SERIES:

TASCHEN’s extra-large format, close in size to the original artworks, reveal startling new details in the work of Marvel’s most acclaimed artists. For each title in the series, the most pristine pedigreed comics (from the collection of our own SHELTON DRUM!) have been cracked open for reproduction in close collaboration with Marvel and the Certified Guaranty Company. Rather than recolor the original production artwork (as has been done in previous decades’ reprints of classic comics), TASCHEN has attempted to create an ideal representation of these books as they were produced at the time of publication. Beginning with high grade, top-quality comics sourced with the assistance of the CGC, super-high-resolution photographs of each page were made as printed more than half a century ago, using modern retouching techniques to correct problems with the era’s inexpensive, imperfect printing. This included improved and balanced ink densities and color matching, proper registration of the four-color printing and correction of thick/thin lines resulting from the flexible plates “smudging.” The end result is a finished product — as if hot off a world-class printing press produced without economic or time-pressure constraints – tailored for readers, fans, artists and collectors alike.

Each volume features an essay by a comic book historian alongside hundreds of photos and artifacts. The books use three different paper stocks, including an uncoated and wood-free paper exclusively developed for this series that simulates the feel of the original comics.

The first 5,000 copies of Fantastic Four Vol. 1 will be numbered and released as a ‘Famous First Edition’. The book is also available as a Collector’s Edition, limited to 1,000 copies featuring an aluminum print cover tipped into a leatherette-bound spine, foil embossing, and housed in a slipcase. Each book is individually numbered. The inaugural purchase of the Collector’s Edition entitles the collector to the selection of a personal favorite number between 1 and 1,000 on a first-come-first-serve basis. This will also secure a preemptive right to reserve a copy with the identical edition number for all forthcoming Collector’s Edition titles in ‘The Marvel Comic Library’.

The next title in ‘The Marvel Comics Library’ series will be Captain America, scheduled for release in 2023.

Shelton granted exclusive and unprecedented access to some of his most prized and beloved comics, and art, to assist in the creation of this comics tome.

“Working with TASCHEN and the CGC on these books has been an honor. The finished product FAR EXCEEDS any pre-conceived expectations I may have held! I just opened the box with the book, and I know the word might be overused, but it is FANTASTIC! The production quality is awesome. I love it!”

We have a few copies available for purchase in-store NOW, or you can order your copy to have it shipped today!

The Marvel Comics Library Fantastic Four Vol. 1. 1961–1963
Hardcover, 11 x 15.6 in., 10.48 lbs, 700 pages
US$ 200.00
Famous First Edition: First printing of 5,000 numbered copies

Shipping is an additional $25.00 if you are unable to pick up in store.

Pre-Order your copy for pick-up in our store HERE

Order your copy to be shipped HERE – Ships within the US ONLY

Hero-Initiative Limited Edition

Overstreet Volume #52

Featuring Art by Mike Grell and Tom Ziuko

Hardcover Available at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find
Starting on Wednesday, July 20th

$44.95

Please send an email to: [email protected] if you would like to reserve a copy,
or if you would like to order this item and have it shipped.

The following features content pulled directly from HeroInitiative.org:

[Los Angeles, California and Hunt Valley, Maryland] – Mike Grell, the prolific writer-artist who has long been associated with Green Arrow, has teamed the character with Batman and brought both of them to the cover of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #52’s exclusive Hero Initiative edition. The cover is colored by industry veteran Tom Ziuko.

Known for his early work on DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes, Grell created, wrote, and illustrated Warlord, and then his creator-owned series Starslayer and Jon Sable, Freelance. In 1987, he reinvigorated Green Arrow with the character-defining mini-series Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters and kicked off an 80-issue run on the ongoing series it spawned.

Gemstone Publishing and the Hero Initiative, the first 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to helping comic book creators in need, have teamed up every year since 2010 for the exclusive Hero Initiative limited edition of the Guide. The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #52 goes on sale July 20, 2022.

As with past collaborations between Gemstone and Hero, this version will be available only in a special hardcover edition, limited to 500 copies. There will be no soft cover edition of this version, and it will retail for $44.95.

The Hero Initiative Edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #52 will be available at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find starting on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

“Since we launched the Hero Initiative edition of the Guide with CBPG #40, we’ve been honored to support this great charity and their incredibly worthy cause, helping comic creators in need. We’ve also been pleased to publish some truly wonderful covers from an impressive array of artists, all of whom have turned out inspirational work on Hero’s behalf. Mike Grell is now very deservedly a member of the great roster of Guide artists, and I suspect fans will be as excited by this one as I am,” said Steve Geppi, Chairman of Geppi Family Enterprises and President and CEO of Gemstone Publishing.

“As Steve mentioned, since The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #40 in 2010, Gemstone Publishing has produced the limited edition Hero Initiative exclusive version of the Guide, and each year it has played a tremendous role in our fundraising efforts. The commitment of Steve Geppi and company to Hero has been sustained for more than a decade and has included some of the best cover artists in the business illustrating some of the greatest characters. That has clearly continued this year with Mike Grell’s distinctive take on Green Arrow and Batman,” said Jim McLauchlin, Hero Initiative’s President.

Beginning with John Romita, Jr., Klaus Janson, and Dean White on CBPG #40, and continuing with John Romita, Sr., Tom Palmer, and Dean White (#41), Matt Wagner and Ryan Brown (#42), Terry Moore and Brian Miller (#43), Herb Trimpe, Tom Palmer, and Laura Martin (#44), Dave Johnson (#45), Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, and Tanya Horie (#46), Rob Liefeld and Ivan Nunes (#47), Joe Jusko (#48), Alan Davis (#49), Kevin Nowlan (#50), and Joseph Michael Linsner (#51), the industry’s top talent have provided covers for the Hero Initiative fundraiser edition.

The standard editions of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #51 feature Butch Guice and Brian Miller’s powerful take on Winter Soldier, Aaron Lopresti’s inspired version of the EC Horror Hosts (with its tribute to EC publisher William M. Gaines), and J.G. Jones’ beautiful flashback to the Golden Age with The Black Terror. These are available in soft cover ($34.95) and hardcover ($44.95).

###

About The Hero Initiative

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. Hero is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) charity. The Hero Initiative Limited Edition Hardcover version of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #52 is scheduled to go on sale Wednesday, July 20 through the Hero Initiative web store and at a limited number of Hero affiliate retailer stores, including Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find. This version will be available in hardcover only and is limited to 500 copies. The retail price is $44.95.

About Gemstone Publishing

Best known as the home of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Gemstone Publishing was formed by Geppi Family Enterprises Chairman Stephen A. Geppi as a conduit for his efforts in preserving and promoting the history of the comics medium. Gemstone’s product line includes The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide To Lost Universes, The Overstreet Guide To Grading Comics, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics, and The Overstreet Price Guide To Star Wars Collectibles, among others, Gemstone also publishes Scoop, a free weekly e-newsletter which looks inside the world of pop culture with a focus on auctions, toys, comics, posters, art and anything and everything pop culture.

TASCHEN and Marvel Entertainment Announce ‘The Marvel Comics Library’;

AVENGERS Vol. 1. 1963–1965

Famous First Edition: First printing of 5,000 numbered copies

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!

Assembling the definitive Marvel Age Avengers anthology

By early 1963 the foundations of the Marvel Universe had been laid. Following the introduction of the Fantastic Four in 1961 came the amazing (Spider-Man), the astonishing (Ant-Man), the strange (Doctor, that is), the incredible (Hulk), the invincible (Iron Man) and the mighty (Thor). Still, Marvel editor in chief Stan Lee realized something was missing. “I was writing these characters and I thought it would fun to put them together in a team,” he recalled. So Lee and artist Jack Kirby assembled Iron Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Thor, and the Hulk to create the Avengers.

Right away it was clear this team was different. If the Fantastic Four were family, then the Avengers were the co-workers you didn’t choose. Not everyone got along—the Hulk fought with everyone—but working together they could defeat the baddest of Marvel’s bad guys, like Loki, Kang the Conqueror, the Masters of Evil, and Immortus. The lineup was ever changing: The Hulk departed, Captain America joined, and Ant-Man grew up to become Giant-Man. Then, remarkably, villains Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch became heroes—and Avengers—and the group’s founding members shockingly departed, leaving Captain America to lead the newly-minted heroes.

Relive the classic early adventures of Avengers Nos. 1–20 in an XXL-sized edition that’s bigger than the Hulk’s fist, weightier than Thor’s hammer, and with more extras than Iron Man’s armor. TASCHEN has attempted to create an ideal representation of these books as they were produced at the time of publication. The most pristine pedigreed comics have been cracked open and photographed for reproduction in close collaboration with Marvel and the Certified Guaranty Company. Each page has then been digitally remastered using modern retouching techniques to correct problems with the era’s inexpensive, imperfect printing—as if hot off of a world-class 1960s printing press.

Accompanying the stories are an original foreword by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and an in-depth history by the Eisner Award-winning writer Kurt Busiek that’s illustrated with original art, little-seen photographs, and rare documents. This mighty collection about Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is worthy of Tony Stark’s library—or yours.

Also available in a Collector’s Edition of 1,000 numbered copies.

The author:
Kurt Busiek has been writing comic books since 1982. He has written several series for Marvel, including The Avengers, and won acclaim for his work on the four-issue miniseries Marvels. In 1995 he launched his own super hero multiverse with his series Astro City.

The contributing author:
Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios, and Chief Creative Officer, Marvel, has been the driving creative force behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He is a hands-on producer, responsible for all 23 interconnected feature films in the MCU.

The artists:
Stan Lee (1922–2018) is known to millions as the man whose super heroes propelled Marvel to its preeminent position in the comic book industry. His co-creations include Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and hundreds of others. While the Chairman Emeritus of Marvel, he was also the Chief Creative Officer of POW! Entertainment, where he created numerous new characters and stories in areas including publishing, film, TV reality, stage, documentary, and multimedia.

Jack Kirby (1917–1994) was one of comics’ most legendary and prolific artists whose notable co-creations include Captain America, Avengers, X-Men, Incredible Hulk, Ant-Man, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Thor.

Marvel Comics Library. Avengers. Vol. 1. 1963–1965
Famous First Edition: First printing of 5,000 numbered copies
Kurt Busiek, Kevin Feige, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Edition: English

______

ABOUT THE SERIES:

TASCHEN’s extra-large format, close in size to the original artworks, reveal startling new details in the work of Marvel’s most acclaimed artists. For each title in the series, the most pristine pedigreed comics (from the collection of our own SHELTON DRUM!) have been cracked open for reproduction in close collaboration with Marvel and the Certified Guaranty Company. Rather than recolor the original production artwork (as has been done in previous decades’ reprints of classic comics), TASCHEN has attempted to create an ideal representation of these books as they were produced at the time of publication. Beginning with high grade, top-quality comics sourced with the assistance of the CGC, super-high-resolution photographs of each page were made as printed more than half a century ago, using modern retouching techniques to correct problems with the era’s inexpensive, imperfect printing. This included improved and balanced ink densities and color matching, proper registration of the four-color printing and correction of thick/thin lines resulting from the flexible plates “smudging.” The end result is a finished product — as if hot off a world-class printing press produced without economic or time-pressure constraints – tailored for readers, fans, artists and collectors alike.

Each volume features an essay by a comic book historian alongside hundreds of photos and artifacts. The books use three different paper stocks, including an uncoated and wood-free paper exclusively developed for this series that simulates the feel of the original comics.

The first 5,000 copies of AVENGERS Vol. 1 will be numbered and released as a ‘Famous First Edition’. The book is also available as a Collector’s Edition, limited to 1,000 copies featuring an aluminum print cover tipped into a leatherette-bound spine, foil embossing, and housed in a slipcase. Each book is individually numbered. The inaugural purchase of the Collector’s Edition entitles the collector to the selection of a personal favorite number between 1 and 1,000 on a first-come-first-serve basis. This will also secure a preemptive right to reserve a copy with the identical edition number for all forthcoming Collector’s Edition titles in ‘The Marvel Comic Library’.

The next title in ‘The Marvel Comics Library’ series will be Fantastic Four. Vol. 1. 1961–1963 and Captain America, all scheduled for release in 2022 and 2023.

______

Shelton granted exclusive and unprecedented access to some of his most prized and beloved comics, and art, to assist in the creation of this comics tome.

“Working with TASCHEN and the CGC on these books has been an honor. The finished product FAR EXCEEDS any pre-conceived expectations I may have held! I just opened the box with the book, and I know the word might be overused, but it is AMAZING! The production quality is awesome. I love it!”

______

We have a few copies available for purchase in-store NOW, or you can pre-order your copy today!
Pre-Orders should be fulfilled by September 2022!

The Marvel Comics Library AVENGERS Vol. 1. 1963–1965
Hardcover, 11 x 15.6 in., 9.76 lb, 630 pages
US$ 200.00
Famous First Edition: First printing of 5,000 numbered copies

Shipping is an additional $20.00 if you are unable to pick up in store.

If you would like to Pre-Order your copy, please send an email to: [email protected]

______

Also available in a Collector’s Edition of 1,000 numbered copies
Hardcover with ChromaLuxe aluminum print cover tipped into a leatherette-bound spine.
11 x 15.6 in., 15.18 lb, 630 pages, in a slipcase

Please inquire about availability.
US$ 600.00

This weekend only!

Saturday, February 26 & Sunday, February 27!

Heroes has a curated stock of modern comics/variants at half off the sticker price!

There are plenty of mainstream titles for you to peruse, with good runs of many popular series. 

The sale is limited only to the specific sale section of the store, and does NOT include new comics on the rack, back issues, trades or books in your reserve bag. 

Stop by and pick up some deals all weekend!