STAFF PICKS :: HIP HOP FAMILY TREE GN :: NOVEMBER 13, 2013
SETH’S PICK :: HIP HOP FAMILY TREE GN: Astute readers of the Heroes Blog will remember that I interviewed cartoonist Ed Piskor about this very book back in May. If you missed it the first time, you can find that HERE. As I noted in that interview, I’m not a huge fan of Hip Hop, nor do I have a great deal knowledge of its rich history. I am, however, a fan of great cartooning, and of the possibilities that exist when combining the seemingly disparate arts of comics and music. Having finally seen the book in person, I can tell you that I haven’t encountered another musical chronicle quite like it in the realm of comics. The strength of the book isn’t merely represented by Piskor’s authoritative knowledge of the music’s history, but in how his art puts you right in the middle of the lives of the artists who were breaking new musical ground. Whether you’re a fan of Hip Hop or just curious about its varied history, this first of a several volume series from Piskor is a comic deserving of your time, money, and enthusiasm. This is honestly one of the most significant new graphic novels I’ve seen this year. Give it a look and I’m sure you’ll agree with me. 
JUSTIN’S PICK :: SABERTOOTH SWORDSMAN HC : Maybe I belabor the point a bit too much, but comics’ real strength as a medium is that it can embrace concepts that other mediums simply can’t. This is evident in the fact that filmic special effects took thirty years to catch up with what Jack Kirby was laying down with a piece of graphite in the 1960s. But that, now, makes for some stiff competition. So, books like Dark Horse’s Sabertooth Swordsman are vital and welcome entries into any library. Morphing and bending genre conventions into a mutant whole, this is a dash of Avatar the Last Airbender, a little Chronicles of Narnia, undercut with the tried and true sidescroller formula. A humble farmer is called upon to rescue his wife and his village from the machinations of the malevolent Mastodon Mathematician. By the power of the Cloud God of Sasquatch Mountain, the farmer is imbued with the power of the Sabertooth Swordsman, and embarks on his sacred quest. Aaron Conley’s art is dynamic and stylized, tastefully shaded, with clear storytelling. Conceptually, writer Damon Gentry has conjured a premise that is at once original and familiar, and I look forward to experiencing the pair’s effort. Along with Tobin & Coover’s Bandette, this is a good week for artful action/adventure.
RAFAEL ABUQUERQUE :: Artist: American Vampire, Animal Man, Blue Beetle, Batman Writer: Batman Black & White
DENIS KITCHEN :: Cartoonist, Publisher, Author, Art Agent, Righteous Dude: In 1969 Denis Kitchen founded Kitchen Sink Press and for 30 years published many of the most prominent and innovative creators in the comics field. An accomplished cartoonist himself, Kitchen also exclusively represents Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, and Al Capp. We can’t wait to get this man on one of our panels at HeroesCon in June!
BRANDON PETERSON :: Artist: Age of Ultron, X-Men, Ultimate Vision
JOE QUINONES :: Artist: Captain Marvel, Batman, Green Lantern, Harley Quinn, Spider-Man
DON ROSA :: Cartoonist: The Life and Times of Uncle Scrooge, Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories
WILFREDO TORRES :: Artist: The Shadow: Year One, Lobster Johnson, Aliens
ANDY’S PICK :: THOR WARRIORS THREE TP COMPLETE COLLECTION: Superman has his robots, Batman had his Batman of All Nations, Green Lantern has an entire alien police force. All are descendants of Captain Marvel and his three Lieutenant Marvels. Speaking of Marvel, the FF has the er…. the FF, a newly-thawed Captain America had Rick Jones and the Jones boy had his Teen Brigade who in turn practically invented the internet by way of ham radios. Iron Man has Tony Stark’s Entourage (even the Stark PR director had his own spotlight issue!). My favorite of all the fill-in/substitute-teacher type hero groups is without a doubt Thor’s reliably violent chorus-The warriors 3!! Fandral the well groomed, Hogun the Grouchy and Volstagg the Menu that Walks like a Man. These three Asgardian stalwarts always make for solidly sustained sub-plots which in turn makes for really fun comics. This new TP collects all the Warriors 3 most important adventures and is sure to be a hoot for everyone except for Hogun, who is–alas– rather Grim.
HEATHER’S PICK :: AMAZING X-MEN #1: Jason Aaron has jumped up to my favorite writer in comics and has filled my reserve bag with X-Men titles. Wolverine and the X-Men was my gateway to all things mutant. Given how much I loved the bamfs in his stories, I cannot wait to see how those little critters help lead to the return of fan favorite, Nightcrawler. If that wasn’t enough, it appears from previews of #1, there is a pirate story line! I’m really looking forward to reading how Nightcrawler makes the return from heaven to earth in this new series. 
SETH’S PICK :: SANDMAN: OVERTURE #1: Like it or not, it’s hard to deny the depth and range of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, or the mark it left on our beloved comics medium. Like it or not (part two), Sandman is a book that warrants all the attention it’s received over the years. It is nothing if not thought-provoking. So here we are twenty five years after Sandman debuted, and Vertigo is appropriately ushering in a new mini series from Gaiman. Overture is notable for a few reasons. Aside from the fact it’s the first time Neil’s returned to these characters in a good while, the series features art from J.H. Williams III, whose particular artistic inclinations seem ready-made for Sandman work. What’s more is that Overture deals with an often puzzling chapter of Dream’s past: what happened to him that lead to him being imprisoned prior to Sandman #1? Sandman: Overture is at the very least a book worth noting in your comic travels this week. Who knows? This could very well be a fine addition to the legacy of one of comics’ most enduring libraries of the past quarter century. 
