STAFF PICKS :: BLACK SCIENCE #1 :: NOVEMBER 27, 2013
SETH’S PICK :: BLACK SCIENCE #1: If you missed Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera’s run on Secret Avengers, you should treat yourself go back and read it. It was full of imaginative comic craft, and felt unique among the other Marvel comic it stood beside. As memorable as that run was, I wondered what kind of comic these guys would create if they had complete control over it. That question is finally answered this week in the form of their new series Black Science. Conceptually, it’s a sprawling science fiction epic featuring rogue anarchist scientists who break the barriers of reality and find themselves amid an endless amount of alien worlds. This is the kind of big concept Remender seems to relish, but is made all the more interesting by the bombastic art of Scalera. It’s been a while since there was so much early buzz surrounding a new creator owned sci fi series. This book seems primed to not only live up to its hype, but very likely surpass it. 
Heroes will be at the 
RICO’S PICK :: THE FIFTH BEATLE: THE BRIAN EPSTEIN STORY: This is a book that has been in the making for quite some time and I can’t wait to hold a copy in my hands. It’s written by Vivek J. Tiwary with the majority of the art handled by Andrew Robinson and a small sequence by Kyle Baker. Honestly, Andrew Robinson’s artwork is the draw for me on this project. From what I’ve seen in previews he has unloaded his entire bag of tricks on this project, from stylized cartooned likenesses of people everyone is bound to recognize to fully painted realism to trippy psychedelia and much more, it’s all here on display in the Fifth Beatle. For anyone who has ever dipped a brush in watercolor paint, you understand the reflection of Epstein in the panel below is pure witchcraft.
JUSTIN’S PICK :: THE MYSTERIOUS UNDERGROUND MEN HC: Like most of my generation, I went through a manga/anime phase. I call it a phase not in derision; it was just a passing interest. There are a few exceptions, however: Kenichi Sonoda’s Gunsmith Cats, the animated Ninja Scroll (clips of which I witnessed at one of my very first Heroes Con attendances) and the work of Osamu Tezuka. Famed as the creator of Astro Boy and likened to Walt Disney, Tezuka’s work deserves every accolade it garners for its charm, impact and timelessness. Picturebox presents this first-time English translation of one of the man’s earlier works. This volume is also notable for appearing in its original format, in full color. It boasts a synopsis and range of reference points that is absolutely intriguing. From the solicitation: The Mysterious Underground Men tells the story of Mimio the talking rabbit as he struggles to prove his humanity while helping his friends save earth from an invasion of angry humanoid termites. Sign me up, Mimio!
KARLA’S PICK :: IMAGINE AGENTS #2: I had quite the ensemble of beloved imaginary cohorts as I child, which is why when my fellow Heroes staffer (and Store Manager extraordinaire) Justin recommended Imagine Agents to me last month, I picked it up and devoured it! (Don’t be silly…I didn’t actually EAT the book, I’m not Tony Chu!) Imagine Agents is a new book from BOOM! Studios written by Brian Jones and illustrated by Bachan. It’s an intriguing concept about an organization of “Men In Black” style agents who’s job it is to wrangle up imaginary friends after the children they befriended have outgrown them(tragic!! Right??!!). Some of those imaginary counterparts are the best friends and confidants to the children they belong to, and others are chaotic terrors who reek havoc and mayhem wherever they go, leaving their pre-adolescent benefactors to take the blame. I truly enjoyed the heck out of issue #1 (which we still have in stock!) and can’t wait to see what happens next in this 4 part series!
JIM AMASH – Artist: Alter Ego magazine, Jughead, Sonic Universe, Archie and Friends
TIM TOWNSEND – Inker: Wolverine and the X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, New Avengers
DAVID WILLIAMS – Artist: X-Men: First Class, GI Joe, Incredible Hercules, Hulk & Power Pack
Well, we made it! 50 discussion Groups with hardly any injuries and downright few fatalities. With the December holiday season looming over our heads like the Savage Sword of Damocles, we thought it would be nice to give our Discussioneers a break. (That’s what we call you behind your backs). Originally we were going to select an expensive comic strip collection, but darn it all to heck, this is the holidays and we’ve all designated a portion of our hard earned comic money to spend on those pesky loved ones. So we thought we’d all save our money for a few months (hint!) and do something a little special for ourselves.
ANDY’S PICK :: SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP #1: As a young’un way-back-when before our creaky old country passed its 200th Birthday, we’d all huddle around the old TV set and watch the NEW Scooby Doo Movies! Not only were these episodes an hour long and even more old coots would have gotten away with it without those meddling kids, each week we were treated to an animated guest star as well. And here is the roster of A-Listers Hanna Barbera invited along: Cass Eliot! Sandy Duncan! Jerry Reed! Phyllis Diller, The 3 Stooges (yay!) featuring Joe DeRita (boooo!) The Harlem Globetrotters! and best of all Batman and Robin. Well now the good folks at DC/WB/TW are reseeding this once fertile ground with Scooby Doo Team Ups #1 featuring our slobbering Great Dane with the dynamic duo. And the first villain is Man-Bat! Who is it behind the mask? (And I just mean which Robin will they use?) And more importantly–what other characters will team up with Scoob? The Powerpuff Girls? Billy and Mandy? The Corinthian? The mind reels as the wallet opens!
